


Sandcastle’s Fault and the Roles We Played

by cloverlovexo



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, ChanBaek - Freeform, Childhood Friendship, College, EXOcentric, Enemies to Lovers, Humor, M/M, Summer Vacation, childhood enemies, exopov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:54:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 25,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28691280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cloverlovexo/pseuds/cloverlovexo
Summary: There were six of them in their group of friends but Baekhyun always considers them as just five. So is Chanyeol.Or whereLittle Sehun is in need of a family for a moment. Good thing his older brother's friend got him.
Relationships: Byun Baekhyun/Park Chanyeol
Comments: 7
Kudos: 77
Collections: Swords and Hearts 2020





	1. JUNMYEON (the Announcement)

**Author's Note:**

> **Code:** SFP12  
>  **Prompt:** Little Sehun is in need of a family for a moment. Good thing his older bother’s friend got him.  
>  **Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction and none of the characters are owned by Swords and Hearts. All creative rights and ownership of this particular work of fiction lie with the respective authors.**
> 
> **Author's Note:** Hello, everyone! I hope you are all doing fine and please take care of your health.  
> I’d like to thank the mods, the authors and of course, the readers for making this fest possible.  
> This is lame and I didn’t know what I was doing with this fic but I still hope that you find yourself enjoying it. Although, you might feel like the ending is a little bit rush. I apologize for that. Happy reading!

"So, I have good news, everyone!" Yixing chimed as he walks inside Jongin's room.   
It was nearing summer break but college wouldn't let them go easily without quite a fight. 

Although they were enrolled in different programs, it became a tradition for their group of friends to study together. 

And this time like always, the six of them are gathering around Jongin's place. Because whenever something is wrong with their computers, Jongin, their IT major friend can fix it immediately. 

That and Jongin's place seems to never have a shortage of food supplies. 

"So, you know this childhood friend of mine - his name is Jongdae, by the way - he asked me over the phone yesterday if I could take care of his little brother during summer." Yixing continued.

Junmyeon who was busy unrolling his tracing papers from his drawing tube stopped and looked at Yixing for a moment, hesitating whether to say what he wants to say or not but said it anyway. "Oh, that's nice. I'm glad you find something to do this summer." He couldn't quite see how taking care of a toddler during summer is a piece of good news. 

"Who said it was only me?" Yixing asked innocently. "I told Jongdae that the six of us will take care of his brother." 

This caught Kyungsoo's ear who was busy scheming his book of Digital Marketing on Jongin's bed while jotting down some important points in his notebook.

"What?" Junmyeon and Kyungsoo said in unison, looking at Yixing incredulously. 

Jongin, who was silently listening to the conversation behind his desktop computer frowned. "Wait, the six of us?"

"You mean to say, you decided something for all of us without us knowing?" Junmyeon added.

Yixing scratches his head at that. Confuse at his friend's reaction towards the good news. "Wait, isn't it what we've all been planning since December?"

"To babysit a toddler?! Hell no!" Kyungsoo retorted. 

Yixing looks at his overdramatic friends with question marks intangibly popping continuously over his head but then realizes why his friend reacted that way. "I thought I already told you before but Jongdae's family are the owner of SC Candy brand and just last year Jongdae and his bother inherited a private island from their father."

"Well, I don't care about their wealth. I don't want to babysit a toddler."

"But don't you want to spend our whole summer on a private island?" 

"Wait, what?" Kyungsoo stood up from the bed, walking straight to Yixing. "You mean to say we're going to have a vacation on a private island."

"Yeah, isn't that what I said?"

"You didn't."

"I just did." 

Kyungsoo was in the middle of rolling his eyes at Yixing when they heard a flush of water and then the door of the bathroom opened revealing Chanyeol who is grinning at them. 

"I could hear you all from the bathroom. I think that would be grea-"

"What the fuck!"

Immediately, everyone in the room whipped their heads toward the direction where Baekhyun was sitting beside Jongin's desk. 

Baekhyun was so focused on what he was doing with his laptop that he didn't even spare a glance at his friends who were discussing their summer vacation when Park fucking Chanyeol, the root of his miseries in life - although, Chanyeol thinks it's the other way around - walked through the cable of his laptop that was plugged on the electrical outlet causing his laptop to shut down.

Often time, when Baekhyun isn't in school, he'll remove the battery of his laptop and just plug it in directly to the outlet. 

"I was so close at finding that fucking missing cent!" Baekhyun glared at Chanyeol. 

Chanyeol, who looks like he isn't fazed at all just looked at Baekhyun. "Don't be overdramatic. It's not like you're not typing control S in every changes you make."

"Oh, so now, you're admitting to always watching me?"

"You wish! And it's your fault for not taking care of your charger."

Baekhyun was about to blurt an insult when Junmyeon's face appeared in front of him. "Baekhyun, Chanyeol, please can you just reschedule your quarrel some other time? We have deadlines to finish here and we want to do it in peace." 

After saying that, Junmyeon looked at Yixing, Kyungsoo, and Jongin asking them to agree with him to which the three get immediately and nod their heads. 

It was not something new for them to hear Baekhyun and Chanyeol bicker with each other in every chance they get. 

How did it start? They really can't tell.

But if Junmyeon can recall clearly. When he was playing in the park, back when he was barely five inside their village, where all of them coincidentally residing, he was scheduled to play with Kyungsoo by their parents. But Kyungsoo was nowhere to be found so he decided to sit on the nearest available swing he could find and patiently wait for his friend while his nanny was busy gossiping with her other nanny friends. 

Junmyeon put his chin on his palms and bend his small body a little for his elbows to reach his thighs for support. He tried to look at the entire park from where he was sitting when his curious eyes took notice of the two kids who were busy digging up some sand from the sand-filled circle in the middle of the playground and filling up their colorful plastic buckets of different sizes. 

Are they planning to steal those sands? Isn't that bad? Young Junmyeon thought. 

He watched the two carefully. It's funny how the taller one from the two keeps tripping and messing his work while the other one who styled his hair in an apple tie - not to mention the tie he used has this big brown bear design - kept following him around. 

Later on, when the two have set all of their buckets, they've settled on the edge of the circle and started flipping their buckets. The two worked separately, they were so into what they were doing that Junmyeon unconsciously walks towards them just to look closely. 

"Jongin, where are the flags that we made?"

Junmyeon heard the taller one talked to the other who was busy carving what it seems like small windows from the mountain of sand. "It's in my pocket, Chan. Are you almost finis-" Jongin didn't finish what he was saying and noticed Junmyeon's feet near his artwork. Chanyeol also looked at the new face.

"What are you two doing?" 

"We're making a sandcastle! You can join us." Enthusiastic about the new potential playmate, Jongin exclaimed. "Who are you?"

"I'm Junmyeon." Junmyeon shyly answered. "Is that fun?" 

"Of course it is fun!" The taller one, whom Junmyeon heard Jongin called as Chan answered. "You can borrow our toys and make your own sandcastle!"

Junmyeon eyes lit up. He was so happy to join the two. He never played with sand before nor mold shapes using it. He thought he could play a little while waiting for Kyungsoo.

Junmyeon chose a spot near the two and started to fill the buckets with sand. He couldn't help but stare at the hole they made where the three of them dug the sand. It made him pout but decided its more fun to have fun than to worry about it so he continued making a sandcastle. Although, he wasn't sure if he was making a castle or a mountain out of the sand. 

Later on, when Chan and Jongin were satisfied enough with their sandcastle, they decided to help Junmyeon. And Junmyeon is more than thankful. 

Compare to the two, his sandcastle literally looked like an upside-down bucket with a unicorn horn-like thing standing mighty on the top of it plus the clump of sand around it that serves as a barrier. 

As Chan and Jongin fix his sandcastle, he heard a familiar voice calling his name. 

"Junmyeon!" 

It was Kyungsoo. 

His playmate finally arrived. Shouting his name in repeat while waving his hand exaggeratedly, Kyungsoo ran towards him, smiling, with two visible missing teeth in front.   
He didn't come alone though, on his other hand, Kyungsoo was dragging along a boy in a blue jumper suit whom Junmyeon thinks is the same age as them. The boy was also running to keep up with Kyungsoo while his other hand holds a tennis racket. 

"Sorry, I'm late," Kyungsoo shouted as they approached Junmyeon. But as Kyungsoo stopped abruptly, the boy he was dragging tripped at a bucket lying on the sand causing the boy to stumble and land face-first on the tallest sandcastle. 

"Baekkie!" Kyungsoo gasped.

Junmyeon let out a gasp as well as he tried to help the boy with Kyungsoo. "Are you alright?"

The boy nods his head while wiping off sands that stick on his small face. 

"My- my sandcastle!" 

All three of them turned their heads at Chanyeol who is currently looking dreadful over his ruined sandcastle. Beside him is Jongin, biting his nails and looking worried.

"This is your fault!" Chanyeol shouts.

"I'm sor-" but the boy never finished what he has to say when Chanyeol pushed him causing him to land on another sandcastle. This time, Jongin's. 

Jongin's mouth wide open and keeps looking at Chanyeol but never utter a single word. When Chanyeol left, Jongin pouted and crossed his small arms with a huff. 

Jongin and Chanyeol never talk for a week after that. They became close again after. It's given because they were friends before the incident.

But Baekhyun and Chanyeol? Junmyeon isn't sure.

All that he remembers is that he gained friends that day. 

"Accounting will be the death of me. Should I shift career like Kyungsoo?" Baekhyun cried as he ruffles his hair in frustration. 

"You think Marketing is not giving me a headache? Who would want to study this boring stuff? I'm having another doubt about my career path."

Kyungsoo noticed Yixing beside him on the bed who is just casually scrolling on his phone while listening to some 80's music. "Why aren't you studying?"

"I realized I have no talent in studying" 

"But you still need to pass."

"Whatever, I'll just do my best in practicals. I'm good at it. You've tasted my talent." Yixing winks then proceeds to scroll on his phone screen.

"Tsk. Lucky bastard. I can't believe you used to love reading books. What are you doing anyway?" Kyungsoo curiously asked.

"Hehe, I'm trying to buy swimwear online for our you know, vacation. Wouldn't want to take pictures in a beautiful place with my old ones. " Yixing scratches his head. 

Upon hearing it, Kyungsoo closes his books and moved to sit next to Yixing. 

"Ah, now that you've mentioned it, I don't have anything to wear. Let me look at it too."

"Sure. What do you think of this?"

Kyungsoo held Yixing's phone. "Now that's nice. Baek! This one will surely look good on you. Come here."

After deliberately thought about it, Baekhyun, who resembled a zombie while staring at his laptop screen rose from his seat to join Yixing and Kyungsoo. A short break wouldn't be bad right?

"I want a new swimming trunk too!" Jongin chided.

Junmyeon smiles as he looked at his four friends who are crumpled on the top of Jongin's bed while looking at the poor cellphone of Yixing. What happens to their study session? 

Junmyeon shook his head. He was about to continue what he was doing when he noticed another being who is also looking at the four. 

Upon noticing Junmyeon's gaze at him, Chanyeol clears his throat then turns a page of his medical book.

"Do you want to buy new swimwear too?" Junmyeon asked. 

"No, I'm good."


	2. YIXING (the Roles)

The sun was blaring intensely and the heat touching their exposed skins makes Yixing wants to wear a long sleeve instead of a sleeveless one that he bought online with his swimsuit. At this moment, Yixing only wanted to get to his friend's private villa as soon as possible. This heat is making him lazy to move.

Yixing decided he's just going to sleep until they get to their destination. When their plane landed earlier, he was excited and all until he stepped down the stair connected to the aircraft. 

"Fuck!" was the first word he uttered when he felt the first drop of sweat from his armpit. Not to mention, they had to wait half an hour for the shuttle Jongdae arranged to pick them up from the airport due to the mishap in the schedule. 

It'll be more than an hour of travel, the driver of the shuttle informed them and then after that, they have to ride a speed boat for five more minutes in order to get to the villa. 

For the mean time, Yixing will sleep. 

But on the far back of the shuttle is where Yixing is sitting, right in the middle to be exact. Has he ever mention that he is not a fun of a middle seat, specially when he is planning to sleep? But what can he do when everyone ran like its the end of their lives, the moment the shuttle arrived and he had no choice but to occupy the only available seat. 

Normally, Yixing would only ask Baekhyun who is currently sitting beside him on the window seat to exchange with him and the latter would gladly comply because well... Baekhyun is just that kind. 

But not today, he guessed. 

Baekhyun is kind, yes, but there's an exemption of that kindness and Yixing is very well aware. 

On his right side is no other than Chanyeol.

So how can he expect Baekhyun to exchange seat with him if it means he will need to seat right next to Chanyeol?

The answer would probably be 'not in a fucking million years, Yixing'. 

Yixing released an audible sigh which does not escape the ears of his two seat mates. 

Chanyeol and Baekhyun turned their heads to his direction exactly at the same time from each of their side of the window. But when the moment their eyes meet, Yixing might have seen a lightning glare that met and sparked in front of his face from the two. The two rolled their eyes and looked back to each of their windows.

Yixing cannot help but sigh again. Too careful to make any sound this time.

He knows that out of concern when he sighed that the two looked at him, checking if something must have been wrong. For that, he was thankful. But how easily for the two to dismiss their care just to glare on each other will never be part of his gratefulness. 

Yixing wonders, if ever an apocalypse occurred and he happened to get -unluckily -stuck with these two, will he ever survive? In all honesty he's scared of his well being. 

Well, he'll just try his best not to be alone with these two as long as he can. 

To be really honest, he didn't know that the bad blood between the two would grow up together with them. 

When he was in high school, his family migrated to Seoul because of some business his father needed to fulfill.

Yixing was reading a book in their front porch when he noticed five children nearing their teen - based on their appearances - having a conversation in front of their house. 

Their voices were loud that Yixing was able to hear most of it. 

"Teacher Lee is the strictest in the faculty. I don't think he will accept our project." 

"If only we know someone who speaks Mandarin."

Yixing's ears perk at this. Did they say someone who speaks Mandarin? He is Chinese! Maybe he can help them. 

That day, Yixing approached the group and offered some help to which he expected they will agree immediately. 

He let the five of them enter his house the very same day. Not to add that the very same day, he get an earful from his mom for letting strangers he just met in their house. 

But to get the reminiscing cut, - because Yixing is already sleepy - Yixing got close with them right after and that was the start of their friendship. 

It was fun being with them, not until the most scandalous he have seen in his life happened. 

During winter, Yixing invited all of them to come over to have hot chocolate and cookies made by his mom. And also to share some of his books with his friends. Baekhyun and Kyungsoo decided to help in the kitchen to prepare their foods. 

Yixing noticed how Baekhyun was so focused on arranging one particular plate who obviously have more cookies than the others. Yixing looked at Kyungsoo but Kyungsoo only shrug then put the mugs he was holding full of hot chocolate on the tray. 

"You must really like cookies a lot, Baekhyun." Yixing commented. Then he heard Kyungsoo snorted beside him.

"Me? Oh no, this is for Chanyeol. He likes cookies!" Baekhyun said while smiling at the cookies. 

"Oh, you two must be really close for you to do that. I didn't even noticed." 

Beside him, Kyungsoo almost got choke while sipping his hot chocolate. "Seriously, Yixing? You've became our friend for what, six months right? I commend your lack of observation, my dear friend." Kyungsoo put his mug back on the tray before fully grabbing it in its handle. "Anyway, let's bring these upstairs." 

Yixing scratch his head a little. He looked at Baekhyun just to see a sad smile plastered on the latter's face. 

Did Baekhyun smile sadly because he thinks Yixing is stupid? But it's true though, maybe at some point he saw Baekhyun offers some foods for Chanyeol to which he never seen what happens next because why would he bother. Lol. But he've never seen them talk. Come to think of it, not even once! 

Yixing was so immense by his thoughts that he didn't noticed at first what happened but as he looked up. He saw a furious looking Chanyeol glaring at Baekhyun. Junmyeon and Jongin are already on each side of Chanyeol. While there was Kyungsoo beside a distraught looking Baekhyun.

"What happened?" He curiously asked. But nobody heard him. 

"Are you for real, Byun Baekhyun?" Chanyeol stated in a low voice, though everyone can hear the venom in it.

Only now, Yixing noticed the broken cookies on the floor and a few cookie crumbs on Chanyeol's shirt.

"I'm sorry, Chanyeol. I didn't mean to-"

"Stop! When are you going to stop being the cause of all my miseries in life?" 

"I said I'm sorry I didn't mean to get tripped."

"For all I know, you've been planning to do this that's why you pretended to help them!"

"What? That's not true! I genuinely helped them because I wanted to."

"Whatever!" 

"Chanyeol, wait-" Chanyeol attempted to leave when Baekhyun grabbed his arm. But the sudden halt caused some of the hot chocolate to spill from the mug that Chanyeol was holding. 

"Are you stupid?!" Chanyeol shouted that made even Yixing flinch who is now beside Baekhyun. 

"I- 

Chanyeol didn't let Baekhyun finished when he throw Baekhyun a punch in the face which earned him a gasp and disapproving look from his friends.

"Chanyeol, what the fuck?" Said Jongin.

Baekhyun was shock and still on the floor holding his lips that was obviously bleeding while Kyungsoo helped him to stand up while asking if he was okay. 

Kyungsoo was about to confront Chanyeol when Baekhyun decided to speak. 

"I told you so many times that I'm sorry. Isn't that enough?!" Baekhyun started raising his voice as well. 

Chanyeol continuously look at Baekhyun's bleeding lips. He didn't know what to do. He didn't mean to do it. Just like how Baekhyun didn't mean to pour the cookies on him but he will never admit it.

"From now on, I will not say sorry to you ever again!" Baekhyun continued.

"Do what you want, Byun, it never matters."

" Chanyeol, Baekhyun, please calm down." Junmyeon's hand was massaging his temple but is seems like the two didn't hear him.

"You are unbelievable!" The first drop of tear touched Baekhyun's face. He clenched his fist then launched a punch on Chanyeol's face. 

Now they are equal.

And everything was a chaos.

Yixing finally get what Kyungsoo was trying to say earlier about his lack of observation in the group. It's not that he never noticed Baekhyun and Chanyeol's friendship but there was just nothing to observe in the first place. They were stuck together because of their common friends but they were never friends.

He found out through Junmyeon that both Baekhyun and Chanyeol were never on good terms. Well now at least both of them are but before this Baekhyun always tried his best to approach Chanyeol whenever possible. He wanted to be friends with Chanyeol but Chanyeol just doesn't want to because of some childish thing happened when they were young. Apparently, Chanyeol loves to hold grudges. 

And Baekhyun just ran out of patience. 

Since then they never tried to physically hurt each other again but they never fail to remind each other how much they hate each other on a daily basis, just like what just happened today in the shuttle. 

Yixing slowly drifted into sleep. Let him think about it later. He needs sleep.

"A luxurious family type villa with biophilic element and a mixture of classic and modern style."

"Dude, I don't understand your language. Please translate." Yixing commented beside Junmyeon who halted while admiring the beauty in front of him. 

They just arrived at the island and currently carrying their luggages on their own to the villa.

Junmyeon made an inaudible laugh. "I mean to say this is beautiful."

"Ooh, I definitely agree. I can't believe I passed every opportunity that was given to me to visit here." 

"What can I say, you mostly make bad decisions in life." Kyungsoo stopped beside them to also have a good look at the building they'll be living for a month. "And yep, I agree, it's beautiful. Right, Baek?"

"It is." Baekhyun answered, temporarily set his luggage free from his hold. "But where are the people?"

It was a huge house with a well tended garden and a small playground in its left side. Big different trees surrounding it. The place is so calm, not a single artificial sound to hear but the birds and the gentle waves of water from the sea. 

"Oh, there are only few people inside. I remembered Jongdae mentioning that they don't really need a lot of staff in the house because there were only two of them." Yixing fill in. 

"I mean, this place is huge. That's a lot of things to take care of."

"Why don't we just get inside so we could finally properly rest instead of asking boring questions here?" Chanyeol who was behind with Jongin butted in the conversation. Walking passed Baekhyun and the others before pushing the doorbell. 

Oh, no. Here we go again. Yixing thought. 

Baekhyun rolls his eyes "Would you like to repeat what you just said."

"What, are you deaf now or something." Chanyeol deadpan.

"I asked it out of curiosity." Baekhyun answered sarcastically. 

"Whatever comes from your mouth is nonsense."

"Excuse me! The four of us were having a conversation before you decided to become the insensitive person you are and had to make us feel like your opinion is more important than anyone else here. Well, I'm not quite sure how to translate that into a douchebag but, you know what I'm saying."

"What did just say?!" Chanyeol says, furious.

"What, you deaf now or something?" Baekhyun said, repeating Chanyeol's own word against his. "I mean, am I wrong?" And earn a little laugh from Jongin behind him. 

Chanyeol huff but didn't get the chance to deliver what he was about to say because the front door opened revealing a fine man whom Yixing suspects probaly their age. 

Baekhyun then relaxed, changing from the aura he only reserves for Chanyeol into his well.. real self. It was like a miracle that every time they will start an argument something or someone will intentionally or unintentionally interrupt. 

"Good day, gentlemen." The man greeted and then looked at Chanyeol who was in front of him. It look a bit awkward since Chanyeol has this frown in his face prior to that before it changed into a polite one. "You must be Mr. Zhang?" The man asked.

"Oh, it's me. I'm Zhang Yixing."

"My apologies. I am Kim Minseok, the majordomo of this household. I was told Mr. Zhang and his friends will be spending a month here and will personally look for young master, Sehun?"

"Yes we are! We are really excited." Yixing said while jumping excitedly. 

"Is he really" Kyungsoo whispers to Baekhyun. They both laugh secretly, knowing that their friend does not think what was about to always come whenever he's excited.

"Who are they?" It was the first word Sehun uttered upon seeing them in the living room. Hugging a dragon stuffed toy and looking so small for Yixing. 

He's just so cute. 

"Sehun, these are your big brother's friends." Minseok started. "They will be your companion while your brother is gone."

The confusion was visible in Sehun's face. Looking at the unfamiliar faces in front of him. He must not have been aware of their visit. 

"But I don't want them! I want my brother! I want Jongdae." 

"Relax, Sehun. It's okay we could also be your big brothers! Now you have a lot of big brothers." Yixing said.

"No, I don't need anymore big brother."

"Well, it's okay if you don't want us as your big brothers. We could still be a family." Said Junmyeon who crouched down to meets Sehun's eye level. 

"Family?" Now, the confusion and the hint of rebellion left Sehun countenance and is now replaced by wonder. And it excites Yixing even more to see the changes in the kid's face. 

"Yes, we're gonna be one big happy family!" Yixing exclaimed.

"One big happy family?" Stepping in front of Yixing, Sehun asked again. Finally getting interested while still clutching his dragon stuffed toy on his chest.

"Yes isn't that exciting?" Yixing squeals like a maniac. 

"Then will you be my grandmother?"

Everyone stills and looked at each other while Sehun looks at them with a twinkling eyes who is now getting thrilled by what is happening. 

Jongin could not hold it anymore. He burst out laughing by Sehun's request and of the faces his friends are making, specially Yixing's whose jaw is hanging in the air. 

"A what?!"

"I miss my grandma." Sehun stated, staring at the floor with a cute pout while hugging his stuff toy.

"No, I think we're lost in translation here. Hehe, That's not what I meant." Yixing started but upon seeing Sehun's expression slowly changing into a sad one, he knows he just couldn't disagree. But what should he do? A grandma? Really?

By how long Yixing takes time to think about his decision, Sehun finally let a tear fall from his eye. Baekhyun is quick to approach Sehun and hug him. 

"Don't cry little one. I'm sure Yixing here is okay with that. He was just surprised. Isn't it right? Yixing?" Baekhyun shifted his eyes from the crying face of Sehun to Yixing's conflicted one. A look with a meaning behind it which gives Yixing no choice but to slowly nod his head. 

Kyungsoo who was just beside Yixing is trying to hold back from laughing. This is just so hilarious. Yixing hit Kyungsoo with his elbow but it only made Kyungsoo wanted to laugh even more. 

"I- I also always wanted to have a big sister." Sehun said while meeting Kyungsoo's eyes. 

Oh, no. 

And this time Yixing recovers from his wrong decisions in life and now laughing loudly at Kyungsoo which earns him a glare from Chanyeol. Well, let's just say it was an embarrassing laugh that you'll refuse to hear even if it's believe it can heal diseases. 

Yixing immediately stopped laughing but that doesn't mean he will stop smiling like a maniac. It was just funny how he tries to close his mouth to not let any sound out while his nostrils gets bigger. 

Pressured by his friends and the look Sehun was giving him, Kyungsoo let out a sigh. "Okay okay, fine! Just don't cry."

"Yey!" Sehun celebrates then approached Jongin. 

"Just know that I won't be an ideal big sister." Kyungsoo whispers which earns him a nudge from Baekhyun who is smiling like the situation cannot be anymore funny.

"Will you be my favorite cousin?" Sehun asked Jongin.

"If only that means, you'll be my favorite cousin too." Jongin answered, smiling and ruffling Sehun's hair. 

Sehun's eyes shines. "You're my only cousin. And I'll let you play with Fanfan." 

"Fanfan?" 

"Fanfan!" Sehun held the dragon stuff toy high to let Jongin have a look. 

"Okay! We will play with Fanfan everyday!" Jongin declared.

Jongin held his hand for a continues high fives which Sehun obviously enjoys. If there is someone from them who can easily interact with children, it's probably Jongin. 

After that, Sehun turned around to look at Junmyeon and Chanyeol. "Please be my uncle."

"I have no problem with it." Chanyeol answered immediately but Sehun shook his head, pointing at Junmyeon instead. 

Jongin laughed at Chanyeol but Chanyeol only rolls his eyes at his friend.

"I have no problem with it." Junmyeon answered. That's just the easiest role. Besides aren't they basically uncles to Sehun? 

"How about Chanyeol?" Jongin asked, putting his arms around Chanyeol's shoulders.

"And Baekhyun." Yixing added, pointing at Baekhyun.

Sehun looked at Chanyeol and Baekhyun before he bows his head shyly.  
"I'm thinking if they could be my parents."

Disaster. That's the only word to explain it. This time nobody laughed and found it funny. Parents might be the biggest role yet given but they all know that that's not the case for the two. It will simply just not gonna work out. And yeah, chaos might ensue. Although the two has been nothing but a spit and spat, a harmless bantering as always, everyone will still agree that Baekhyun and Chanyeol as parents is like a milk and a raw mango mixed together in a lactose intolerant stomach. It will make your ass leak of something not nice and also, they want a peaceful vacation so someone needs to save the day. 

"I can't believe I'm going to say this but Sehun..." Kyungsoo crouched down to face Sehun with a dramatic expression. Both palms holding Sehun's cheeks. "I am your mother." He said it slowly as if he was being nominated for Oscars.

"But you are my big sister." 

That immediately made Kyungsoo lose his in character mode and held his hands up. "Okay, I did my best."

"As long as I am the father." Chanyeol suddenly spoke. Everyone looked at him. Including Minseok who is silently observing and enjoying the exchange. It was an unexpected answer considering what he heard a while ago before opening the door to the guests.

"What? No, no! Not gonna happen." Baekhyun answered quickly. He gets down to his knee on front of the child. "Sehun, listen carefully, I am your grandmother."

"Wait, I am the grandmother, right?" Yixing said to which Kyungsoo gave him a frustrated look. 

"But I want a mother." Sehun said then look up high at Chanyeol."And I remember my father being tall." Sehun said joyfully. 

Chanyeol smirked. "That's settled then."

Baekhyun feels like having a hard attack. No, no, no. Just no. Being the mother is a no and being the wife of that kind father is an absolutely a big no!

But one look from Sehun's expecting eyes. 

"Come on, Baek. It's just a role. It's not like you're both married in real life." Junmyeon said, patting Baekhyun's back,

"And I don't like to be the wrinkly old grandma but here I am and I said yes." Yixing added, looking at Baekhyun mischievously. 

"Meanwhile, I'll be thankful to be the handsome gardener having a secret affair with the mother but no, I am the sister." Kyungsoo whined. 

They are all teaming up against Baekhyun. It's not that he's not the one who forced Yixing to accept the grandma role so who is he to complain.

Baekhyun sigh. "Fine."

"Well, everything is settled! In celebration of our arrival here and our uh.. newly formed family- well, sort of. I will cook dinner tonight." Yixing said and that's the end of the conversation. As a culinary student, Yixing cooks for his friends a lot and his friends comes to love his cooking.


	3. SEHUN (the Marriage)

"I didn't know Master Sehun will pull that trick off. I do certainly remember briefing him of your arrival though. He must've planned it. My apologies, Mr. Byun." Minseok said.

After their dinner, Baekhyun asked Minseok to show him his room to be so that he could wash off all the sweat and dirt his body accumulated from the travel.

"It's okay. And you don't have to call me by Mr. Byun. Just Baekhyun is okay." Baekhyun said, smiling at the man beside him. 

"I'll take note of it, Mr. Byun." Minseok stated. Baekhyun frowns a little but didn't let it show. Instead, he just let out a little laugh.

"You see, the child is always alone. Ever since his parents died in an unfortunate accident years ago, it was always just him and Sir Jongdae. But Sir Jongdae has a lot of things to deal with in their company. So Jongdae could only give a little amount of his time to the young master. Even so, Sir Jongdae would always be exhausted from a long day of work and needs to retire early. Young master Sehun understands it though. He is always a good kid. He never demands for more and just accepts what was given to him."

Baekhyun felt his heart constricted. He didn't know anything about this. He doesn't what to reply so he just smiled warmly.

"That's why I was delighted to see that he ask a request from all of you, people he doesn't know personally. And I'm glad you accepted the young master's wishes." Minseok continued.

"Oh," was the only thing Baekhyun could come up with as a reply as he scratches his head a little. He doesn't have the heart to tell the other, how much he hated the role he was given, given that his supposed partner is no other than Park fucking Chanyeol. 

Though, as he heard little of Sehun's story. A part of him just wants to give Sehun all the love that he deserves. 

Baekhyun promised he'll try to be on his best behavior.

"I'll do my best to be the best mother." Baekhyun declared, determined.

Minseok smiled. "I'm glad to hear that, Mr, Byun. But for now, this is your room." Baekhyun didn't even realize that they were already in front of a room when Minseok opens the door to reveal a beautiful interior. "Young master specifically requested for you to use this room."

Oh, sweet little Sehun. Baekhyun thought as he roams his eyes inside the room.

It was a big room with a queen-size bed in the middle of it. Decorated with a minimalist style types of furniture and decorations. It was simple yet it was expensive looking. Like those luxury hotels, he used to check in with his family during Christmas vacations. Baekhyun can't believe he'll live there for more than a month rent-free. He'll make sure to make every minute of it worthy.

"I'll leave you be, Mr. Byun."

"Thank you, Minseok!" Minseok smiled warmly and then closes the door.

Finally alone on his own, Baekhyun struggles to decide if he'll shower first or unpack his things. At first, he thought of unpacking first but later decided that this place doesn't deserve a sweaty and smelly occupant so shower first it is.

After freshening up, Baekhyun leaves the bathroom wearing a bathrobe and his hair wrapped in a towel turban style. He was busy humming a song while retrieving his skincare products from one of his bags. Then places all of it on a vanity mirror to start his routine only to look at the mirror and noticed two pair of eyes that have obviously been interrupted from a conversation and looking at him from the moment that he left the bathroom. He immediately turns around and puts his hands on his chest out of shock. It almost gave him a heart attack. 

"What the hell are you doing here?!" Baekhyun shouted.

There in front of the door was Minseok with the stupidly annoying face of Park Chanyeol.   
To Baekhyun's horror, he noticed the luggage Chanyeol is holding with his hands.

No.

"Mr. Byun." Minseok greeted. "I was just introducing Mr. Park to the room." 

"But why?" Baekhyun dumbly asked as if it wasn't obvious where this is heading.

"The young master specifically instructed me to give the two of you this room. His room is just right there." Minseok said while gesturing his left hand to the room adjacent to where they are. Chanyeol on the other hand keeps mum while listening to Minseok.

Why does it feel like Chanyeol is okay with all of this? It slowly building a villain character for Baekhyun where he is the one who has everything against Chanyeol when in fact they are just the same. 

But this doesn't stop Baekhyun from trying to ask. "But why do we need to be in the same room? Can I just have Kyungsoo as a roommate? Or Junmyeon, or Jongin, or Yixing? Just not him."

Baekhyun saw Chanyeol rolls his eyes. But when Minseok turned his head to Chanyeol, Chanyeol immediately changes his expression into a pitiful one.

Asshole!

"I'm afraid that's an impossible request, Mr. Byun. Given that both of your roles require you to stay in the same room." Minseok replied.

Right. He is the mother and Chanyeol is the father. How could he ever forget? Though he promised to be a good mother, doesn't mean he'll also be a good wife.

"Well, if that is settled. I'll leave you, two to rest. Good night, gentlemen." 

After Minseok left, Baekhyun scoffed and slowly claps his hands. "What a Grammy award-winning idiot." Baekhyun sarcastically commented.

"It's Oscars, Byun. But thanks, I'll take the Grammy too." Chanyeol corrected, walking in the direction of the bed.

"So you are admitting that you're pretending this feud is one-sided. For what, making me look like a villain?" Baekhyun retorted, dismissing the way Chanyeol corrected him. He took offense though. Next time, he'll make sure to do his research properly. 

"If it isn't obvious enough," Chanyeol answers nonchalantly. And when Baekhyun was about to say something, he spoke again. "And don't bother replying, I've had enough of your voice today that my head actually hurts. I'm going to sleep."

"What are you saying?! I am going to take the bed. Get out of there." And when Chanyeol didn't make any move, Baekhyun gets on the other side of the bed and deliberately pushed Chanyeol off the bed.

Chanyeol immediately stood up and looked furiously at the unconcerned Baekhyun, already sprawling from the middle of the bed, leaving no space for Chanyeol to take. "What the fuck was that for?!"

But just as how Chanyeol kept silent awhile ago, Baekhyun remained stubborn and just closes his eyes to sleep.

Chanyeol sighed. Looking at the octopus looking human on the bed evilly. Chanyeol then roughly carries the man from the bed then lay the thrashing Baekhyun down to the floor. 

It was then Chanyeol who sprawled on the top of the bed, both of his long arms holding tightly each side of the bedpost while both of his legs reach to the end of each side. 

It was obvious to Baekhyun that he cannot push Chanyeol out of the bed again this time. "Get out of the bed, jerk!"

"You are so dramatic, Baekhyun. I'll take the bed, you'll take the couch. That way, you won't have to deal with me and I don't have to deal with you."

"Excuse me. Me? Couch? Let me remind you that I was here first."

"Well, your luggage remained zipped so I thought you'll leave."

Baekhyun grunted. "Fine! I'll let you take the bed tonight but I'll take it tomorrow. We will take turns in using it so better not soiled it with your spoiled saliva." Baekhyun proposes. 

"Mhm, good idea," Chanyeol answers, tone already sleepy.

"Aren't you even gonna take a shower first?" Baekhyun asked frustratedly. 

"Tomorrow. I'm too tired. I need to sleep." 

"But you are dirty. I don't wanna take the bed tomorrow with dirt on it."

"Deal with it, Byun." Chanyeol replied sleepily.

Baekhyun held his hand in front of Chanyeol's unsuspecting back and made a movement as if he was crashing Chanyeol with his hand with gritted teeth.

He then forcefully pull the pillow where Chanyeol's head was lying, causing Chanyeol to glare at him. 

"What? I need a pillow on the couch too." Baekhyun stated, one of his eyebrows lifted so high. 

Maybe due to the exhaustion that Chanyeol didn't pry much on Baekhyun's behavior but that doesn't mean he'll go back to sleep without rolling his eyes at the latter while Baekhyun simply sticks out his tongue childishly in Chanyeol's direction, night routine completely forgotten. 

🏰

"Good morning, Mom." Kyungsoo jokingly greeted an obviously not in the mood Baekhyun. 

Baekhyun looked at his friend first before answering. "Shut it, Kyungsoo." 

Kyungsoo made an expression as if he was hurt, though it was obvious that he was just making fun of Baekhyun. 

Both of them are currently in the kitchen and making themselves a coffee.

"Why, I'm your daughter." Kyungsoo keeps teasing Baekhyun. 

"Stop it. Its not funny." Baekhyun grunted while taking a sip of his bitter coffee.

But Kyungsoo seems to not stopping soon. "Why though. I'm beginning to like this new lifestyle. So how's night with ummm, Dad?"

"Kyungsoo!"

"Okay relax, I'm just kidding. Although, I'm curious how you guys made me. From displeasure, I guess?"

"Hey!" Baekhyun shouted but not loudly to Kyungsoo who is laughing while receiving a continuous punches on his shoulder. 

"Okay, I'll stop for real this time. So how's your sleep?"

Baekhyun rolls his eyes. "You guess it."

"That's sad. I at least have my own room for myself. You see, I had a very pleasant sleep on a soft bed and soft pillows. It was so hard saying goodbye to them this morning." Kyungsoo said dreamily. 

"You have your own room?!"

"Yep! All of us, except you two." Kyungsoo said, smiling from ear to ear. 

What the fuck! Baekhyun mouthed. Just then, he felt small arms hugged him but only reaches his thigh.

"Good morning, Mommy Baek!" It was Sehun. 

There was an awkwardness. Baekhyun felt it in the air when Sehun did that causing both him and Kyungsoo to look at each other. 

The thing is Sehun just called Baekhyun mommy, a role Sehun given to him that he thought was purely childish and maybe a result of a tantrum. But last night event at their room says otherwise. And now, Sehun is clinging to him with a big smile on his face, referring him as his mother. 

And now, looking at Sehun's adorable smile just made him wants to coo. It was so innocent, so pure, so real. It aches his heart to know the reason why Sehun seeks family from them. 

Baekhyun pats Sehun's hair. "Good morning, Sehunnie! How's your sleep?"

Sehun looked at his side then pout. "I had to look for Lulu before I sleep. I found him under the bed."

"Lulu?"

"My deer toy!" Sehun said enthusiastically, suddenly excited by how the adult seems to take interest with his toy. "Come with me, Mom. I'll let you meet them." Sehun continued, already pulling Baekhyun's hand with him, although technically, he could only grab two of Baekhyun's fingers by how small Sehun's hand is. 

"Where are we going?" Baekhyun amusedly asked.

"To my room, to my room. Oh-" Sehun laughingly shouts his answer until he realize that another person was with them. Because of the kitchen counter and his small height, Sehun failed to notice Kyungsoo when he tried to approach Baekhyun awhile ago. "Hello, Big sister!" Sehun then let go of Baekhyun's hand to approach Kyungsoo, who in return lift an eyebrow because of the endearment. 

"Listen, kid. I mean, Sehun. It's big brother for you." Kyungsoo smilingly said. In a way that his teeth didn't even move, only his lips. 

"But you are my big sister, remember." Sehun pouts. 

"Ahh," Kyungsoo then looked at Baekhyun with a questioning eyes. "I thought this was all just one time playful joke from yesterday."

Baekhyun let out a little laugh. "Just let it be, Kyungsoo. Let's just enjoy this."

"Wow, coming from you, Mom." Kyungsoo has no problem with it, really. But only that idea of being a family. He doesn't really like his role. But he'll endure it because well its simply fun and he loves fun.

Sehun giggled at the exchange of the two adults in front of him as if he could fully grasp what they were saying when in reality, he was just happy when his big sister called their mom mom. In his little mind, it was an achievement and a satisfying feeling. 

"Good morning, Kyungsoo. Good morning Sehun." The three of them were giggling when a newly bathed Chanyeol come in which automatically turned Baekhyun's mood into sour. Chanyeol is rummaging in the refrigerator without a care as if he own the place. "I see you two are happy."

"We just came up to accepting this new lifestyle and roles we need to do," Kyungsoo, who didn't see anything new with the way Chanyeol purposely excluded Baekhyun, answered. It's not like Baekhyun doesn't do the same anyway. They were just cut from the same cloth. "Dad." Kyungsoo then added which earned him an amusing frown from Chanyeol.

"You, Kyungsoo? Accepting it? I don't believe you." Chanyeol, amusingly replied. If there's someone from them who hated the idea so much, Chanyeol knows it's Kyungsoo. That's why he couldn't help but finds it funny that Kyungsoo easily accepted only after a day instead of two weeks- his conceding point. But Kyungsoo just shrug and just drinks his coffee.

"Good morning, Daddy." A shy Sehun approaches Chanyeol slowly. 

Chanyeol then looks at Sehun who appears really small standing next to him. "Good morning, my little boy. How are you?" Chanyeol answered. He can see how Sehun's face turns into a wide smile. To which he also returns with a big smile.

Just as Chanyeol ruffles Sehun's hair, he heard a small but definitely not concealed scoff from Baekhyun who now looking at him bitterly. 

Chanyeol then smirked. He would definitely find a way to make all of this things interesting. So he crouched down to meets Sehun's level. "Sehun, what do you think? An ideal mom should cook breakfast for his husband and son, right?" He said loud and clear that you can tell it's not really meant to be told to Sehun but at the man beside Kyungsoo who is now glaring at his whole being. And if looks could kill, Chanyeol may now be buried six feat under. 

Sehun gasps, completely liking the idea. "Yes! Mom, dad And I are hungry. Please cook for us." He then turned to Baekhyun with both if small hands clasp together in front of his chest.

Baekhyun couldn't say anything at all. No, he's not gonna cook for Chanyeol. No! 

"Please, Mommy Baek." Sehun looks at him with a cute pout. Behind Sehun is a soundlessly laughing Chanyeol, holding his stomach.

You really gonna pay for this Park fucking Chanyeol! Baekhyun thought. Although in his outside appearance, his sweet smile to Sehun doesn't falter even a bit.

"You're right, Baek. I'm certainly enjoying this." Kyungsoo commented beside Baekhyun while trying not to laugh so loud.

🏰

"Here, Sehun. Eat a lot, okay. So your body will have a lot of energy. And-" After serving Sehun his meal Baekhyun places the plate in front of Chanyeol carelessly. "Here. Please enjoy it. Or better yet, choke on it."

"Thank you. I'm definitely enjoying this." Chanyeol replied, smiling and still feeling like a winner. He then took a big bite of the omelette. The moment he does, he almost spit all of his mouth's content. He felt his tongue slowly getting numb by the amount of saltiness one bite of the omelette has. It feels like he's eating an omelette made of salt. He wants to spit it out but Sehun is looking at him expectantly. 

So he just smiled at Sehun while slowly munching the food - if you can even call it like that - in his mouth. He can see Baekhyun concealing his laugh while eating his portion of omelette. 

"Hmm, it's delicious right, Daddy? Please eat a lot. You said you're hungry."

Chanyeol nodded and thanking Sehun for his concern. But glared at Baekhyun right after Sehun starts digging again on his food. 

"You know, when I said choke on it, I didn't mean immediately. I didn't know you are this excited." Baekhyun commented.

Maybe Sehun wonders why Chanyeol stopped eating the delicious meal because he suddenly look curiously at him. Upon noticing it, Chanyeol gulped, trying to make a little movement using his fork. He does it slowly but the child seems to not gonna start eating again unless he take another bite. And so he does. Sehun then was satisfied and got back to eating again. 

Is it only Chanyeol or his second bite is saltier than the last one?

"Here." Baekhyun was offering Chanyeol a coffee. But Chanyeol is now suspicious because there is a big chance that Baekhyun purposely change the sugar into salt in that coffee.

What?! It's not salty. Duh. Baekhyun mouthed to Chanyeol with an eye roll upon seeing the other's hesitation.

Chanyeol knows that he should not trust Baekhyun but he just want to wash the saltiness in his mouth with something so he took the coffee and drinks a large gulf only to get surprised by the amount of sweetness of it. It feels like it made of ninety percent sugar.

He immediately send a death glare to Baekhyun who is looking at him amusedly. "Didn't know you'll actually trust me to drink that."

Chanyeol just stood up and get to the sink before spitting the overly sweet residue of the coffee in his mouth. 

"Me too, Chanyeol. I'm enjoying it sooo much!" Baekhyun suddenly spoke enthusiastically behind.

Sehun on the other hand, although he doesn't understand most of it is happy and enjoying how his parents are talking to each other. He really thinks they are a good match. There's no mistaking in adopting them as his parents.

It was a tiring day for all of them. They just spent the whole day near the shore and play games that Sehun requested, which is a lot if one could say. They would be lying if they'll say they didn't enjoy it. It was so obvious that they all did just based on the smiles on their faces right after they get back to the villa and eat the dinner the maids prepared. 

Now, thinking about it, Baekhyun was happy that he didn't think twice before agreeing to Yixing to go here. It feels so good to feel like a child and play games they used to play when they were all small. They all needed it. They needed a break. Break from school, break from reality and break from some responsibilities they do have back in the capital to breathe. 

Humming a song with a smile on his face, Baekhyun put the final product on his face. He is currently in the bathroom and already done cleaning himself from the sweats he got from all that playing. 

Tonight, Baekhyun will finally sleep in the bed. Just the idea of having the bed all for himself already makes him sleepy. So he left the bathroom to finally rest but not expecting to see Chanyeol lying comfortably in the bed. Although he wants to kick Chanyeol off the bed but he is a man who believes things can still be fixed with words. Maybe?

"You need to get out of the bed. I am the one who will use it tonight." Baekhyun started but Chanyeol just looked at him and proceeded to play some games with his phone. 

Baekhyun frowned irritatedly. "Didn't you hear me? I said get out of the bed."

"I heard you." Chanyeol answers nonchalantly 

"Then why aren't getting out of it?" Baekhyun asked, already getting tired of the impending war between him and Chanyeol. 

Why can't they just coexist peacefully?

"Bacause I don't want to." Chanyeol simply answers. But Baekhyun is having none of it. They talked about it in a good way yes

"We had a deal!" Baekhyun said, getting more and more irritated as time passes by him standing in front of the bed while his nemesis lay comfortably on it.

"I changed my mind." Chanyeol simply said without looking away from his phone. 

"What?! You can't just change your mind. Get out."

"Don't wanna."

"You will leave or I'll make you leave?"

Chanyeol finally stopped playing with his phone and looked at Baekhyun, a smirk forming on his face. "Make me." He challenged. 

But with a new set of determination inside Baekhyun's body, he walked around the other side of the bed and simply lie down, patting his pillows to get them in place properly then sleeps. 

All while Chanyeol looks at him curiously, wondering what could be the other is thinking. Chanyeol stares more at the unmoving body but after a few minute of motionlessness and the other's steady breathing, Chanyeol shook his head then continues his unfinished game.

Does he thinks he'll make me leave just because he started sleeping on the other side? Lol no. Chanyeol thought.

But not even yet tapping the 'continue playing' button when suddenly a hand flew right into his direction, causing his phone fall hard on the floor to Chanyeol's horror. 

Chanyeol immediately stood up to pick up his phone and check for a damage which fortunately still intact. Thank goodness. He then glares at the owner of the hand on the bed, but the said owner looks soundly asleep.

So Chanyeol just sigh and just got back to where he was lying before, readying for another game when Baekhyun started stretching his legs causing Chanyeol's own legs to fall off the bed. 

Chanyeol glared again at Baekhyun but the other's eyes remain close. Although Baekhyun's hand is scratching his head while his mouth is doing a chewing-like motion. 

For the second time, Chanyeol sighs, bringing back his dangling legs on the bed and then carelessly pushes Baekhyun's body back in his space. 

But not even lying down properly, another wave of limbs hit Chanyeol to a different part of his face and body. "Hey!" Chanyeol tried to remove it on him but Baekhyun's limbs are persistent at annoying the hell out of Chanyeol. "Yah, Byun!"

Chanyeol started giving force at the way he swat the annoying arms of Baekhyun but as he does, Baekhyun's arms and legs suddenly develop a strength that managed to pushed Chanyeol completely off the bed. 

A loud thump was heard inside the room as Chanyeol falls. He immediately stands up and faces the devil who is now hugging the bed like a starfish. "I know you are awake, Byun." But Baekhyun remained silent and unmoving. "You think, you can get the bed because of your dirty tricks?" 

Silence.

"It makes me want to win this bed even more." Chanyeol continued as he started to try untangling Baekhyun's hand on the other side of the bed, finger by finger, yet the hold of the other on the sheet remained firm. 

"You." A finger unclasp. "will never." Another finger. "have this bed." And another. "all by yourself." And another. "As long as I am here." And then Chanyeol finally removed Baekhyun's firm grip on the sheet. 

Great! Another one on the other side. But as Chanyeol move to untangle the other hand from the sheet, Baekhyun's left hand clutches the bedsheet again where Chanyeol worked hard to remove it. "Yah!"

"This bed is mine. Get out!" Baekhyun finally spoke, voice muffled as he speaks against the sheet.

"No way!" Chanyeol retorted. 

Annoyed and tired, Chanyeol changed his tactics and just pulls Baekhyun's shirt which causes some of Baekhyun's skins to get exposed. Chanyeol is standing now on the bed. 

Baekhyun immediately turned over and pull his shirt from the taller's grasp. Kicking the Chanyeol with his foot. "Yah! Let go, you pervert!!"

"No!"

They were yelling and thrashing on the bed that they barely heard a soft knock on the door before it finally opens, revealing little Sehun in a spongebob pajama, hugging three different stuff toys against his chest. 

As the two adult noticed the new presence inside the room, they instantly stopped whatever the hell the extent of their fight went and then quickly sat down on the bed, fixing themselves as if they've done something else.

"Sehun!" The two said in unison.

Sehun pouts. "You didn't include me in your game."

Out of reflex, the two looked at each other but later realized they shouldn't have so they looked back at Sehun at the same time but only right after they glowered at each other. 

"I couldn't sleep in my room. Can I sleep here beside you, Mommy Baek and Daddy Chan?" Sehun asked as he walks towards the two in the bed. 

For a second, none of the two initiate to answer but the pout on Sehun's face made Baekhyun gives in. "Alright, come here, Sehun." Baekhyun smiles while Sehun's face lights up.

"Yey!"

While Sehun celebrates Chanyeol gave Baekhyun a look. 

"What? If you don't like it. You can get out. You are not welcome here, anyway." Baekhyun said, rolling his eyes to annoy the other.

"Don't get me wrong. I'd rather be roomed with Sehun than you." Chanyeol said in a low voice, afraid that the kid might hear that they were arguing.

"Yeah, same. But you're still not welcome." Baekhyun said in nonchalance. 

"I'm not going anywhere." 

"Then deal with it, stupid."

Chanyeol would want to punish that foul mouth if not for Sehun breaking his thought when the kid started lying down between them. 

"Let's sleep, come on!"

The two didn't have any choice but to lie down while Sehun started reaching at their hands. "Hands, please." The two innocently gave Sehun their hands then Sehun places them on his tummy and gave them each a smile which they both returned wholeheartedly.

At least their hands aren't touching on Sehun's tummy. Sehun placed Baekhyun's left hand on the upper part while Chanyeol's on the lower part. Both of them are lying on their side, facing Sehun. But Sehun's tiny body made them technically facing each other. So as they're eyes met, Baekhyun did the most sane thing he could do. He rolled his eyes at Chanyeol.

And as Chanyeol's nature, revenge is what he is best at. So he lifts his hand on Sehun's tummy a little just to flick Baekhyun's hand. 

Baekhyun flinch at the sudden pain. Then instantly looks at the obvious culprit who sticks his tongue at him. So he rolled his eyes again at the other then boldly reached Chanyeol's hand just to pinch a small amount of skin. He made sure it was painful as hell.

"Ah!" 

Sehun giggles. "You are playing again."   
Sehun found it fun to see his parents being childish. He doesn't want to be left out in some fun so even though in a sleepy state, Sehun grabs both of the adults hands and put them together, placing Chanyeol's big one over Baekhyun's then place his two tiny hands over Chanyeol's. Now all of their hand are joined together. It made Sehun happy at the thought.

"Happy family!" Sehun mutters as he slowly drifting into slumber. 

But the two adults are nowhere near celebrating as Sehun. They find it ridiculous and disgusting. They want to remove their hands but they don't have a heart to break Sehun's happiness. 

This is your fault! Baekhyun mouthed.

You started it! Chanyeol too, equally glared the same intensity then rolled his eyes just as how Baekhyun did. 

They slept like that.


	4. KYUNGSOO (the Fest)

"Oh, would you look at that? Who would've thought." Kyungsoo stated as he observes the oblivious sleeping trio on the bed.

Kyungsoo had a plan to jog beside the water at 7 AM with Baekhyun but the said company was nowhere to be found at the agreed time. So Kyungsoo decided to take the matter upon himself to wake up his sleeping beauty of a friend only to find a sight he, himself couldn't quite believe the moment he enters the door.

An amused Jongin beside him immediately retrieves his phone from his pant's pocket. "I need to capture this rare phenomenon. It's rarer than a blue moon." Jongin captures different angles. "Actually, no. This is rarer than when all nine planets from our solar system perfectly aligned." 

"You are so noisy, you'll wake them up." Kyungsoo scolded Jongin. Then added, "make sure to get bird's eye view shots."

"Aye aye!"

Kyungsoo stares at his two friends sleeping soundly on the bed with little Sehun between them. He bet Sehun went there to sleep together and the two didn't have any choice but to oblige. He was aware of the condition Baekhyun proposed to Chanyeol where both of them will take turns in using the bed. He didn't wanna hear about it but Baekhyun was so loud whining about how ridiculous his situation is and begging Kyungsoo to let him sleep in his room to which Kyungsoo happily declined.

They look so peaceful and quite close. As if they've never fought their whole lives. Kyungsoo laugh a little and shook his head. Who was he kidding? He knows that the moment one of the two wakes up it will be another whining situation he'd rather not wanna hear. 

But Kyungsoo wonders, if this ever happened before though, what could've been their reaction. 

Of course, Chanyeol will throw a fit. Nobody will ever get shocked. But Baekhyun...

Well, Kyungsoo doesn't know the exact answer but he knows that it's not the reaction Baekhyun will give today if he wakes up later.

Because Baekhyun had always been soft with Chanyeol. 

It started when they were young. The young Baekhyun thought he had hurt Chanyeol so bad so he wanted to make peace with him ever since. But the prideful young Chanyeol remained stubborn and held grudges until it developed into a hatred nobody knows where it even came from. 

To be honest, Kyungsoo suspects that the initial reason for the then one-sided feud was the petty event when they were all young. That one time when Baekhyun accidentally destroyed Chanyeol's sad excuse of a sandcastle. For real though, if Chanyeol failed to see it, Kyungsoo didn't. It was one of the most awful and ugly sandcastle ever! 

That time, Kyungsoo was scheduled to play with Junmyeon in the park but his mom's best friend decided to visit them and with her was Baekhyun, a friend Kyungsoo didn't see for a long time. He was eager to play again with Baekhyun so he dragged him to the park to meet Junmyeon. But poor Baekhyun couldn't keep up with his enthusiasm and stumbled over an ugly sandcastle that was apparently made by Junmyeon's new friends. 

After that, the five of them always see each other in the park. It was inevitable to play together especially when they have Junmyeon as a common friend. They were young and the way Baekhyun always inquire about Chanyeol and the way Chanyeol always ignores Baekhyun is something they didn't pay attention to.

They thought for a long time as they grow from preschool to adolescence that everything is for fun and that everything is okay. That it was because they were young, free and just having fun and just being childish.

But when they slowly gain a grasp on life and reality, they realized that Chanyeol was serious all along. That, or he was just too prideful to admit that he was a stubborn little brat. 

They still think it's petty though. Especially Kyungsoo. And he knows as years passed by that it was not that ruined sandcastle's fault anymore. 

It was the way Chanyeol got used to the way he treated Baekhyun. The way he got used to hating him and pushing away. A hatred that was dictated and was inflicted unfairly.

But Baekhyun cared for Chanyeol. He cared a lot. 

In all of those times that Chanyeol ignored Baekhyun, Kyungsoo saw how persistent and determined Baekhyun was to be on Chanyeol's good side. 

It was as if, what's important the most in little Baekhyun's mind was to be forgiven by Chanyeol. Nothing else. 

And so, as their friendship grows with them, all Baekhyun does was to approach Chanyeol and say sorry but Chanyeol will only cross his arms and snigger in response. 

Baekhyun would always think of Chanyeol whenever they are eating outside. Whether Chanyeol is having enough, or if they're eating sweet candies and Chanyeol needed water. Baekhyun would always offer what was his. There are times in the past when Chanyeol was sick and needed to skip class and Baekhyun would always volunteer to bring Chanyeol's homework. 

When they get a little bit older and their group of friends had an additional one more person which is Yixing, Baekhyun saw how much Yixing easily gets close to Chanyeol. They were talking a lot about incredible books they've read and recommend each other interesting ones. 

Kyungsoo saw how it affects Baekhyun. It's not anything about jealousy but about the fact that if Chanyeol can become close and be civil with others, why can't he on Baekhyun?

It was something that affects Baekhyun's self-esteem. Baekhyun has always been a cheery person. He cheers everyone in the group, specially Chanyeol. 

Kyungsoo would notice his friend's usual ear to ear smile would be replaced by a sad one.

It came to the point that it affects their group of friends. And there were times they had to cancel some plans just to not let the two meet. But it was inevitable for them to meet as they all attend the same school and class in high school. 

And as what some people say, some containers that were filled to the brim will eventually overflow. There's a limitation to what extent human's patience can go to. 

And Baekhyun is just a human. 

The time where Baekhyun finally snapped and fights back happened in Yixing's house. It was a chaos and even Yixing's parents had to step in. 

Since then, everything had changed. Everyone noticed how Baekhyun who always approach Chanyeol first would not even take a glance in the other's direction anymore. As if Chanyeol wasn't there; as if Chanyeol didn't exist. 

Something Chanyeol noticed himself.

It must've been Chanyeol's pride again that's talking but, to everyone's surprise, Chanyeol, for the first time approached Baekhyun first.

But it was the kind of approach that was far from being friendly. 

And then everything has changed. From then till now, it was as if they made it their duty to annoy each other whenever possible. Their friends couldn't decide whether it's better that way or just be back from before where Baekhyun is being ignored by Chanyeol all the time. Because now, Chanyeol always replies with the same witty comebacks. Chanyeol makes effort to talk back. Albeit the sarcasm and annoyance, still, Chanyeol is not ignoring Baekhyun anymore. 

🏰

"Oh, you're awake! We are just planning to set our breakfast here, including Minseok just to watch you sleep. But sadly, you woke up. Come here and let me give you a punch." Kyungsoo jokingly in a monotone voice said to Baekhyun.

Kyungsoo approached his still confused friend who is squinting his eyes as he rubs his sleep off. 

But after a good full minute, Baekhyun finally realized what situation he was in. There in the room is Kyungsoo and Jongin looking at him- at them. Chanyeol and Sehun are still sleeping beside him.

Baekhyun immediately covers his clothed chest with the blanket and stare at the two in horror as if he was a deer caught in a headlight. Kyungsoo lifted a brow at his overacting friend.

"It's not what it seems!"

"We aren't even saying anything, Uncle Baek," Jongin said while laughing at Baekhyun.

"Who are you calling uncle, huh!" 

"Oops! My bad. I forgot that you are my auntie." Then Jongin laughs out loud causing the two other occupants of the bed to stir from their sleep. 

Baekhyun gets off the bed immediately and stands beside Kyungsoo. They saw Sehun's smile even before the kid opens his eyes. 

"Good morning, Mommy Baek and Daddy Chan. Good morning to you too big sister, Kyungsoo."

Chanyeol didn't say anything but he smiles at Sehun and patted his head. It was a weird sight, even to Kyungsoo.

"For the last time, kid. Call me big brother." Kyungsoo said to Sehun but Sehun shifts his eyes to Jongin.

"Oh! Good morning, Nini!"

Jongin approaches Sehun beside the bed."Good morning, Sehun! Do you want to play again with your favorite cousin?"

"You are my only cousin!" Sehun laughs and already putting his body on Jongin's broad back.

"That's why I should be your favorite."

The two cousins left the room, leaving the three inside the room. It was silent at first until Kyungsoo breaks the ice. "So, you guys are playing house with your youngest while leaving out your eldest. I'm not saying I'm hurt but I am offended." Kyungsoo says with a seemingly serious tone but the two other occupants of the room know otherwise that Kyungsoo was trying to be sarcastic. 

Kyungsoo earned an eye roll from Chanyeol and a snigger from Baekhyun beside him who starts walking away from him to go to the bathroom.

Kyungsoo let out his biggest laugh of the day.

🏰

At the dinner, Minseok serves them the best meal they've tasted since they arrived at the villa. Because it's either Kyungsoo cooks for them all or Yixing out of courtesy since they were leaving there for free. It's not like Kyungsoo and Yixing's cooking isn't good. But Minseok's can be called a five-star restaurant level. 

Kyungsoo enjoyed his meal except for the fact that they have a sitting arrangement every time they're eating at the dining table. Well, it was awkward at first, yes, but he's getting the hang of it. 

Yixing as the eldest apparently and should be the most respected as he is the grandmother is taking the head table. Kyungsoo and Baekhyun almost died of laughing at first because of that to which Yixing whined for a good amount of time until he changed his mind when he realized how powerful he looks compare to them when they're having a meal. 

On Yixing's right side is Chanyeol, Sehun's acting father. Beside Chanyeol, on his right side is Sehun and Baekhyun respectively. As Sehun says he wants to be between his parents. Next to Baekhyun is Kyungsoo, their one, and only daughter. 

On Yixing's left side is Junmyeon, Sehun's favorite uncle, and next to Junmyeon is Jongin, Sehun's favorite cousin who was the only one to get excited upon learning about the sitting arrangement. Junmyeon apparently is just cool with anything.

Kyungsoo on the other hand is now liking the way he was at the far end of the table and having the time of his life to consume his food.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun? Better not ask them.

Halfway to their meal, Minseok announced the fest that will be held next week in the city in which Jongdae and Sehun annually participate as a family together. But with Jongdae's absence Minseok asked the six of them to come in exchange of Jongdae. 

As Minseok said it, Sehun stood up on his chair and jumps in joy. "Yey! That will be fun!" 

All of them looked at Sehun with a fond smile.   
"What do we exactly gonna do in this fest?" Junmyeon asked Minseok.

"Play games as a family, perform as a family and create a booth or sell something as a family. Last year, Sir Jongdae and the young master create a 2D themed cafe which won the best concept."

"Wow! That was really creative." Yixing commented.

"But what should we do for this year though, we only have one week to prepare. We surely can't beat the 2D cafe." It was Jongin who as always thinks ahead of time. Far from Kyungsoo and Yixing who slack and cram.

"Is it okay for everyone?" Minseok once again asked.

"Of course! The five of us will do our best and support Sehun." Baekhyun answered.

"There are six of us, Baek." Kyungsoo said beside Baekhyun but Baekhyun ignored him and just continued eating. It's not the first time it happened. Kyungsoo was just commenting out of a habit.

🏰

The day of the fest came. Since they only got a short amount of time to prepare and collect props, considering they were in the middle of the sea and college students with clashing thoughts, they decided to settle it by playing rock, paper, and scissors and in the end, Chanyeol won. 

Everyone found Chanyeol's idea fun, except Yixing who was against the use of one crucial ingredient for the said booth. 

"I'm thinking, for our booth, we need to provide something fun, something children will enjoy and yet easy to acquire since we don't have much time." Chanyeol said one time.

"What do you have in mind?" Jongin asked.

"How about we prepare a Non-Newtonian liquid for the children to play? I think it would be fun because of its changing viscosity. And I've never seen it before in a fest. What do you think of an oobleck?"

"That's a nice idea." Junmyeon commented, agreeing with Chanyeol's idea as he doesn't see any problem with it. They will only need two ingredients to do that.

"Wait, none you what?" Yixing on the other hand was lost. He doesn't have any idea what they are talking about. 

"To put it simply, we are going to make a pool. But not an ordinary pool because instead of water, we're going to make an oobleck. It is a mixture of one part water and two parts cornstarch and it creates a non-newtonian liquid wherein when you suddenly apply force, the substance became semi-solid. It gives you an experience as if you are walking in the water. Children can play there then." Chanyeol explained. 

In all of Chanyeol's explanation, only one thing was processed in Yixing's culinary brain. "What do you mean we are going to use cornstarch to make a pool? Do you know how many pancakes we can make with that?"

Kyungsoo on his side taps Yixing's shoulder before saying, "Don't worry, after we play in it, you can make as many pancakes as you like."

...

In their booth, the pool's appearance is not pure white. There were swirls of pink and blue in it that makes it more attractive. And it was Kyungsoo's doing, putting a few drops of food coloring in a glass of water and mix it with the oobleck. 

It is Kyungsoo and Baekhyun together with Sehun who are manning the booth as the others wander around to participate in some games and visit other booths. Well, it was actually just the two of them as Sehun was busy jumping on the pool together with the other kids. True to Chanyeol's word, the kids loved it.

Sehun's bare feet and pants are covered in cornstarch that dries fast. Also, his hands and some part of his face are white. Both Kyungsoo and Baekhyun admire how adorable Sehun is. 

Although Kyungsoo doesn't want to admit it, Sehun will always have a soft spot in his heart. It was Sehun's innocence and determination that makes him coo on the kid. If only the kid stops calling him big sister on a daily basis, especially in front of other people like in there, he might've considered carrying Sehun on his back. 

But no, because if he could remember clearly, Sehun already called him big sister a total of eight times since their arrival at the fest. Although Kyungsoo doesn't usually care much about what other people think, he doesn't appreciate the looks he was receiving either. 

Kyungsoo looked beside him where Baekhyun was standing, looking at Sehun with a smile on his face.

"Are you proud, Mom?" Kyungsoo jokingly asked.

"Ha. Ha. Not funny, Kyungsoo." The smile on Baekhyun's face was immediately gone when he heard Kyungsoo. But Kyungsoo only laughs at Baekhyun and his own joke. 

He finds it fun to tease Baekhyun every now and then with his role. Although Baekhyun never responded positively to his jokes, he knows that Baekhyun is not taking it by heart and Kyungsoo surely knows his boundary when joking with Baekhyun. 

Kyungsoo watched and follows as Baekhyun approached Sehun to try to persuade Sehun to get some rest because he has been jumping and swimming in the oobleck since when they made it awhile ago, but Sehun only pouted at them. 

"Ten more minutes, please."

It must've been his pout, his cuteness, or the way he said please but Baekhyun becomes soft when it comes to Sehun.

"Just be careful, okay." Baekhyun said to Sehun.

"Do you want to join me?" Sehun asked before Baekhyun could walk to go back where he was standing a while ago. 

"Uhm, I don't think I can." Baekhyun said as he put his hand on his nape, not knowing what to say to Sehun. 

"Pleasee." Sehun was persistent. 

Baekhyun was contemplating whether he'd join Sehun or not. In all honesty, it looks so fun watching Sehun and the other children play. But that's the thing, the only ones playing are children and if he joined, he'll be the only adult there. 

Kyungsoo watches the interaction as he saw how Baekhyun crouched down a little to whisper something on Sehun's ear to which Sehun immediately smiles as he nodded blissfully. Sehun then shifted his gaze from Baekhyun to Kyungsoo. Oh no, here comes trouble.

"Big sister Soo!" Sehun called and saw how Baekhyun laughs beside Sehun. The other children also started looking at him.

Kyungsoo swiftly walked towards the two, giving Baekhyun an eye.

"Play with us in here, please. I promise to call you big brother if you say yes." Sehun negotiate. How come at young age Sehun knows how to do this. Oh, Kyungsoo knows. And he looked at the suspect smiling innocently at him. 

Good thing Kyungsoo was also tempted to jump in the oobleck. "Okay. Promise me, okay."

"Promise, big bother Soo!" Sehun replied enthusiastically.

"Good."

The three jump around with the other kids, not caring how their pants and t-shirts are getting covered in white powder. 

They laugh as in one moment Kyungsoo stood still and his feet were swallowed by the oobleck slowly. Baekhyun and Sehun try to pull Kyungsoo from being trapped. The three of them were laughing without a care in the world when they heard a sudden clearing of a throat. They looked to see that Junmyeon and the others are back, looking at them funnily,

"Daddy Chan! Play with us in here!" Sehun ran to where Chanyeol was when he saw him. 

It was obvious that Sehun has a favorite among all of them. And it was Chanyeol and Baekhyun. The other's aren't complaining though, they find it fun.

"Look at you." Chanyeol chuckles as he tried to brush off the cornstarch on Sehun's clothes. But it was futile. 

"Please join un. I only have a few minutes left to play." Sehun pouts.

"Okay."

Sehun's laughter couldn't be compared as he was having the time of his life. He asked Baekhyun and Chanyeol to run around the oobleck with him to which the two complied because they just can't say no to every request of Sehun. 

At some point when Baekhyun was delayed a few seconds to move, his foot was caught by the oobleck and is slowly descending towards the bottom. He didn't notice it that's why when he tried to run to catch Sehun, his move was suspended. But the suspension caused his body to be off-balance and fall. Knowing he cannot do anything, he waited for his body to hit the surface of the oobleck but instead of oobleck, he felt his body fell on another body.

It turns out, when Chanyeol saw Baekhyun's situation, out of reflex, he tried to save him from the fall. But it was too late for Chanyeol to act because even though on time, the littlest time of Chanyeol being still got him stuck in the oobleck as well. 

And so as a result, both of them fall on the oobleck with Chanyeol under Baekhyun taking the impact when they hit the surface. 

Baekhyun closes his eyes and when he opens it, he saw Chanyeol staring back at him but Baekhyun was speechless and was just staring at Chanyeol open-mouthed. 

They stay there like that just staring at each other, not realizing that their steady bodies on the oobleck gave its particles a time to move, and so their bodies slowly sink in until Chanyeol felt his butt hit the bottom.

"Are you okay?" Chanyeol asked moments later, looking directly at Baekhyun's eyes. Baekhyun must have snapped from wherever his brain brought him to when his eyes widen upon finally realizing the situation he was in with Chanyeol. 

Baekhyun looked at his surroundings and noticed how everyone, the children, and his friends are looking at the two of them in the middle of an inflatable one-foot pool. 

Baekhyun gasped and in panic, he immediately tried to stand up. But he could only try as the oobleck reacts to his abrupt motion and in return suspends his body from further movement. It doesn't help that the moment he felt stuck and couldn't get out, he panics even more and squirms on the top of Chanyeol. 

"Hey hey, relax." Baekhyun heard Chanyeol's calming voice soothing his body causing him to also calm, so he relaxes his body as he breathes slowly. "Now, stand up slowly."

Baekhyun tried again to stand up, he felt the heavyweight of the oobleck pulling him back because even though slow, it was still not enough to let the substance flow in their desired viscosity. 

Chanyeol followed after, taking his time to let the bluish and pinkish-white substance covering half his body slowly fall. He looks at Baekhyun while doing so. 

And while doing so, Kyungsoo approaches them. The look of concern visible on his face, if it's about the fall or not, Baekhyun couldn't tell. "Are you guys okay?"

"Y- yeah," Baekhyun answered, glancing at Chanyeol shyly. If he was surprised to see Chanyeol already looking at him, he didn't let it show. 

Kyungsoo nodded. "Let's get you and Sehun to change. Chanyeol can take care of himself. Let's go." 

Baekhyun slowly nodded, carefully getting off the pool with Kyungsoo holding one of his hands to help him when an unfamiliar female voice from a distance caught their attention.

"Chanyeol!" The girl called. When the girl gets close, her attention was on Chanyeol, disregarding every other being in the booth. "Look at you. You're a mess!" the girl laughed but nobody was laughing with her. 

"Um, " said Chanyeol, indirectly inquiring why she was there.

"Oh, actually, I'd like to invite you to see our booth. It resembles a lab, with kids-friendly lab apparatus." The girls said with a smile.

Chanyeol hesitated at first, looking at some of his friends before nodding his head. "Okay."

"Aren't you going to change?" 

"No, it'll get dry soon."

"Okay then, let's go." The girl said enthusiastically, clinging his arms to Chanyeol's but Chanyeol only smiles at the girl while slowly removing it from his arms. 

Kyungsoo and the others watch as Chanyeol and the girl leave the booth. And with a frown on his face, he looked at Baekhyun and asked. "Who's that girl? 

It was a rhetorical question. Kyungsoo knows Baekhyun does not know who that girl was, given the fact that they're not from there and Baekhyun and him were together the whole day. Kyungsoo expected a shrug as an answer from his friend but didn't receive any because Baekhyun's focus was on the two retreating back getting smaller from their view. A look Kyungsoo hasn't see in a long time as a Baekhyun stares in the distance. A look too familiar for him not to recognize. 

"It was Myunju." Kyungsoo snapped from his thoughts as Jongin spoke, suddenly beside him. Baekhyun also now looking at Jongin in curiosity.

"Myunju?" Kyungsoo asked.

"Yeah, we met her earlier in one of the games in some booth." Jongin shrugs. "It was weird not to talk if you're on the same team so... we talked. She works in an animal shelter." Jongin continued in nonchalance. "You how much Chanyeol likes animals right. And so they talked."

Kyungsoo sigh and looking at Baekhyun. "Let's go and change our clothes. It's getting late anyway. I think we need to go."

"Yeah."

🏰

It didn't take Chanyeol a lot of time to return to their booth to join them return to the island. They were all tired. So once they arrived in the villa, the others get to their room to take a rest. 

Kyungsoo and Baekhyun were the last ones on the leaving room, fixing some of the bags they used in the booth.

"You go ahead first, Kyungsoo. I'm just going to take a walk outside."

"At this late night. Aren't you tired?

"I am but I still have the energy to burn."

Kyungsoo couldn't help the frown on his face. He was wondering why Baekhyun suddenly needs to go for a walk.   
"Are you okay?"

"Of course, I am. I just want some air."

Kyungsoo gave Baekhyun a look. "We literally just get off a speedboat a few minutes ago. The air blew our faces like crazy, making my eyes wet. And you're telling me, it's not enough?"

"I mean, I want to breathe some fresh air." Baekhyun laughs at Kyungsoo and then looks at him with a small smile. "Alone." 

Kyungsoo wants to say no but he knows that he couldn't stop Baekhyun anyway. So he nods in understanding. "Okay, just get inside once you're done, okay?"

"Okay."


	5. CHANYEOL (the Fall)

Everyone is tired from the activities they've done the whole day. Even so, Chanyeol finds himself in a good mood and feeling like he wants to become a good neighbor tonight so he decided that he will take the sofa and let Baekhyun take the bed tonight.

To be really honest, Baekhyun never had the bed for himself. It's either it wasn't his schedule to take over for the night or Sehun barge in their room to sleep together. They both got used to Sehun coming unannounced and demanding to be with his parents for the night that just always seems to happen when it's Chanyeol's time to sleep on the couch.

Chanyeol isn't surprised to feel how much uncomfortable it is to lie down on the sofa. To think Baekhyun had to suffer always sleeping there kind of brings a hint of guilt to him. But he won't admit it out loud. 

Chanyeol then starts finding a good position to fit himself on the sofa. And no matter how hard he tried, it still not working. His body is too long for it to accommodate him. 

Come to think of it, Baekhyun isn't that small. The guy is probably having a hard time getting some sleep there too. Is that the reason why Chanyeol woke some nights with Baekhyun counting sheep?

Chanyeol snorted. Ever since they found out that they'll be roommates, their only interaction inside the room is the negotiation on whom will take the bed for the particular night. Until it kind of suddenly dies down and he didn't know at which point they've just let each other do whatever they want. At some nights, Baekhyun will just take the couch without even a word and then when Sehun requested to sleep with them, he'll just oblige, just like that. 

Chanyeol rolled his body again to find his body a new position. Something is not right and quite upsetting though. It's the fact that he's having a hard time on the small sofa while the bed that supposes to bring comfort is still unoccupied. 

Where the hell is that guy. Chanyeol frowned. It was usually Baekhyun who's always in the room first to wash and to do his nightly routine. But the said man who usually makes noises with whatever he was doing with his face is nowhere to be found in the room.

Chanyeol decided he wouldn't be able to fall asleep until he satisfies his curiosity. Wherever the hell that guy is, he doesn't care. He's just curious is all. 

And so he gets up, puts on his slippers then headed downstairs only to meet Jongin halfway to the stairs who has bottled water in his hand.

"Yo! Still awake?" Jongin asked, looking curiously at Chanyeol.

Chanyeol dismissed Jongin's question which has an obvious answer and inquires about Baekhyun. "Did you see the ugly midget?" 

Jongin frowned at his friend's choice of adjectives but immediately understands who he was referring to. "Ugly mid- Baekhyun?"

"Yeah"

"Oh, are you looking for Baekhyun now?" Asked Jongin mischievously while nudging on Chanyeol.

But Chanyeol only rolled his eyes on Jongin before replying, "I'm just asking because I'm torn between kicking his things out or not so I could finally have the room on my own."

"Tss. Always the cold guy, Chani." Jongin replied while tapping Chanyeol's shoulder slowly, shaking his head and looking at Chanyeol as if he was disappointed. 

But Chanyeol is having non of Jongin's playfulness tonight. He's tired and he wants to sleep. But that's the problem. He just can't sleep yet.

"Don't call me that."

"Well, I saw Baek going out a while ago, said he was just taking a walk." Sensing Chanyeol isn't in the mood, Jongin provided info of Baekhyun's whereabout.

"Taking a walk? At this time?"

But Jongin only shrug before turning around and started walking to his room.

Chanyeol looked at his watch. It 10:34 PM. It's not like Chanyeol is taking notes but as Baekhyun's roommate, he tends to notice that the other is usually starting to get ready to fall asleep around this time. 

I was kind enough to let him take the bed tonight but he'll just waste the opportunity. Chanyeol thought, feet already started moving to go back to their room. He decided to take the bed again, feeling offended, and a fool. 

He'll better sleep now. 

However, a few minutes later, his gaze remains on the ceiling.

Chanyeol sigh.

Has this room always been this quiet? Chanyeol could almost hear a pin drop. 

It suddenly became foreign. He was used to another presence of someone in this room so it kind of felt different. 

Chanyeol forced his eyes to close and sleep. For sure that awkward footing midget is big enough to know his way to the room. He shouldn't waste his time thinking about him.

Except even in his sleep, it feels like Baekhyun won't let him in peace. Chanyeol suddenly woke up with a jolt. He just had a dream where Baekhyun came furiously inside the room and pushed him off the bed but instead of the floor, he fell on a pool of red rose petals. 

That was weird. Good thing it was just a dream and he wasn't really pushed by Baekhyun. He tried to look at Baekhyun on the couch to see if the other is sleeping but to his surprise, the couch remained empty. 

Chanyeol immediately looked at his wristwatch. It's 11:30. It's getting midnight and Baekhyun is still not in the room. 

It seems rather strange since even though they aren't on the best terms, the two of them managed to co-exist together in that room. So it's hard to think that Baekhyun is avoiding him. And even though some awkward moments happened earlier that day, he doesn't think it's enough reason for the other to not sleep in the room. 

Chanyeol couldn't help it and his curiosity is eating him up. There is also a part of him that worries for the other. He left the room and try to see if Baekhyun is sleeping on the couch of the living room.

But Baekhyun isn't there. 

He admits that he is guilty of always annoying the other but that doesn't mean he wouldn't care if anything bad happened to Baekhyun. 

Because to be really honest, Chanyeol cares. 

Chanyeol and Baekhyun didn't start on good terms because Baekhyun annoyed the hell out of Chanyeol when they were young. Baekhyun was clumsy and always invaded his personal space. Wherever he was is where the other go. It became unbearable sometimes because Chanyeol was still annoyed over the admittedly petty thing that happened the first time they met. Yes, he admits, he was childish. The only excuse he could give is he was a child and he was young.

That's why while growing up, he realized how much of an asshole he was towards Baekhyun. Baekhyun whom's the only mistake was to be a cute clumsy kid who couldn't even hold a racket almost as big as he was properly. 

But as Chanyeol grew up, there were things and words Chanyeol struggled to say. He finds it hard to say that he was okay, that Baekhyun was okay. That they could be okay. That they can build a friendship just how he can just easily rebuild a ruined sandcastle. But that's not what happened. 

He wasted the opportunity to rebuild that sandcastle. An opportunity to make it better, sustainable, and beautiful. 

And so as time goes by he just continuously play the role he started playing ever since. 

Baekhyun's nemesis.

But then Baekhyun suddenly got angry. Baekhyun looked at him with pain in his eyes. For the first time, he saw an emotion other than the one the other always showing him. He wasn't smiling anymore. He wasn't saying good things to Chanyeol. He wasn't consoling Chanyeol. He wasn't cheering Chanyeol. 

Instead, he hated Chanyeol. He hates Chanyeol. He doesn't like Chanyeol anymore. Then he started to not talk to Chanyeol at all. He was avoiding him. 

And Chanyeol was just... torn.

Because he didn't like it.

He didn't know and was late to realize that he was a defendant to everything that is Baekhyun. He didn't know that he always needed that smile. He didn't know he had always been looking forward to Baekhyun's presence. And that he needed Baekhyun's words of cheer more than the others. 

He took everything for granted and lost Baekhyun. 

For years, he had the opportunity to rebuild the sandcastle until he finally lost it.

And he didn't like it.

He didn't like how things turned out where Baekhyun completely shut him out. He needed his attention.

And so, he started a fight. And another fight. And then another one. Again and again. 

Then Baekhyun started to talk back. He started looking in his direction again. 

Although mad, at least he did.

🏰

Chanyeol ran around the house but he couldn't see Baekhyun anywhere. He doesn't want to admit it but he is starting to get panicked. The others are already sleeping in their own rooms. Even Kyungsoo whom his first guess Baekhyun's with because the two are really close.

Chanyeol recalled what Jongin said to him awhile ago, Baekhyun was taking a walk outside. But that was one hour ago. The other couldn't possibly still taking a walk, right? Especially when he knows how tiring the day was to all of them. 

So Chanyeol decided to continue his search outside. It was dark except for a few lights coming from the lamp posts near the villa and the moonlight of the moon. And even though the water is still far from where he was, he could hear the waves that are even louder at the dead of the night where everyone's asleep.

He looked around but he still couldn't see Baekhyun. So Chanyeol continued to walk- run down the sloppy hill to get near the water. He almost tripped as his foot accidentally slipped on a slippery rock. Good thing he has a good reflex. But he could've prevented it if only he brought a flashlight with him. 

After that, he continued again to run until he gets to the plains of sand. 

And then he halted as he saw a familiar back. 

There he is. 

Baekhyun sitting in the wooden beach chair under a big umbrella near the shore and he is gazing at the moon. 

Even though panting Chanyeol sigh in relief and slowly walks towards Baekhyun's direction.

"Baekhyun," Chanyeol said almost in a whisper but the other still hear it then turned his head towards Chanyeol.

It was visible how Baekhyun was surprised to see Chanyeol in front of him. "W-what are you doing here? Why aren't you sleeping?" Baekhyun asked.

"I should ask you that question. What are you doing here alone instead of sleeping in our room." Chanyeol answered. There was a hint of annoyance in his voice. Frustrated even. 

Baekhyun avoided Chanyeol's eyes. "Just enjoying some air is all."

But Chanyeol does not believe it. They aren't close but Chanyeol knows enough to know that while the other isn't lying, he isn't also telling everything at all. "Is there a problem?"

"Yeah, you." Baekhyun nonchalantly answered with the goal of annoying Chanyeol. Just like always. 

Chanyeol just only sighs at the other's blunt answer which caught Baekhyun's attention and already staring at Chanyeol. Chanyeol knows why. It's most probably because Baekhyun is expecting Chanyeol to answer in the same way he did. But it did not happen. 

"W-What's wrong with you?" Baekhyun instead asked.

"You," Chanyeol answered. 

Baekhyun huffed. "What did I do now." 

"You aren't answering me."

"I am answering you. See."

"It's not that!"

"Then what?" 

"It's you. What is your problem? Why are you here? Why you won't tell me what's wrong? Did I do something wrong?" At the series of queries left the taller's mouth, Baekhyun was taken aback and got lost of words for a moment. He couldn't believe that he is having this kind of conversation with Chanyeol.

"I, I- it's none of your business!" Baekhyun answered awkwardly instead, then get back into watching the moon as if it was the most interesting thing right at the moment.

But Chanyeol must have been frustrated from searching all over the villa for Baekhyun only to be dismissed like this and just having none of it. So he snatched Baekhyun's left arm causing Baekhyun to look at him in surprise but Chanyeol replied with a look. "Let's go."

"W-what are you doing? Let go of me." Baekhyun said when Chanyeol started tugging him, holding the side of the wooden beach chair for support to not let Chanyeol successfully pull him. 

But jokes on Baekhyun as Chanyeol's toned body obviously have more strength than his beautiful hand. In an instant, Baekhyun was on his feet. "H-hey! I said let go of me. I don't want to go yet." Baekhyun said awkwardly as he struggles to remove his arm from Chanyeol's grip who started walking towards the villa without looking at Baekhyun causing Baekhyun to walk involuntarily as he was being dragged by the other. 

Chanyeol didn't know what came to his mind. It was awkward even to him because he was never like this to Baekhyun. They never had quite a skinship like this before. He might or might not regret this tomorrow but something has to be done. His and Baekhyun's cat and dog relationship is getting old and even he admits he doesn't enjoy it anymore. 

Chanyeol snapped from his thought as he felt Baekhyun tried to pull his arm from his tight grip but to no avail, Baekhyun fails. This made Chanyeol sigh and turned to confront Baekhyun and say how it's not good to stay outside at this late hour.

But before he could even say that, words left his mouth as he saw the state Baekhyun was in. Baekhyun streaks fresh tears on his frowning face and is pouting while his right hand is trying to reach his right foot.

"Wha-" Chanyeol didn't finish what he was about to say as he finally saw the real problem why Baekhyun refused to go back to the villa. And is Chanyeol's feeling valid if he says he was kind of disappointed that Baekhyun would rather choose to stay there than tell Chanyeol he was hurting.

At Chanyeol's stillness, Baekhyun took the opportunity to snatch back his arm, gave Chanyeol a look then tried to get back to where he was sitting before even though he was limping.

"Baekhyun, wait!" Chanyeol then immediately followed Baekhyun and tries to help him but the other shrug his offer off. 

Chanyeol let out a sigh as he finds them in the same position they were in awhile ago but later decided to shake it off and kneels in front of a wincing Baekhyun who isn't hiding anymore that he is hurt. 

"What happened?" Chanyeol asked.

"You don't care." Baekhyun didn't even look at him.

Chanyeol ignored Baekhyun's remarks as he reached for his right foot. 

"Hey!"

"Let me just look at how grave it is."

"What do you know." Baekhyun huff but give in as he let his foot be checked. He didn't see how Chanyeol smiles a little at this. It gave Chanyeol a tiny relief to know that Baekhyun still trusts him.

"I'm studying medicine, remember?" Chanyeol said to Baekhyun who in return rolls his eyes and looked at anything but him.

"I don't know. I didn't bother to know." It was an obvious lie. They both know it but Baekhyun always feels the need to say something back. No matter what it is, it has to be him who has the last word.

"It's swollen," Chanyeol said a few minutes later.

"Ah, yeah thanks. Thanks for telling the obvious." Baekhyun said sarcastically. 

"The swelling is the result of the increase in fluid movement in your injury. From the looks of it, if not properly treated, it will stay swelling up to months." Chanyeol stated and looked at Baekhyun in the face. "Let me carry you back to the villa and treat your foot."

Baekhyun gave Chanyeol an incredulous look but Chanyeol just smiled at Baekhyun. "Don't worry. I know how to treat sprained foot so well that your swelling will only take a week to heal."

"What?" 

"What?"

Baekhyun and Chanyeol both said respectively. 

"Isn't that your concern?" Chanyeol bewilderedly asked.

"No."

"Then- ah!" Chanyeol was about to ask what's Baekhyun's concern then he realized what he had offered. "What's wrong with me carrying you."

"I refuse to be touched by you."

"I just touched your foot."

"Still!" Baekhyun stubbornly said.

Chanyeol sighs. How many has it been? Chanyeol couldn't count anymore. He has to resolve this in any way possible. "Look, I didn't wanna tell anyone about this but have you heard the story about this exact place we are in?" Chanyeol while trying to look around.

Baekhyun visibly frightened. He felt all the hair of his body stand in different directions. "W- wha- what is it?"

"Are you sure you wanna hear it?" Chanyeol asked while giving Baekhyun a look of concern and he knows he got Baekhyun at this. 

"No! No! Don't say it!" Baekhyun said as he tried to look around him. Remembering he has been there for how many hours already.

Chanyeol observes the other with an amused smile. "Okay. Then I'll go ahead first." Chanyeol announced as he starts turning around in the direction of the villa. 

"W-wait! Chanyeol?" Chanyeol heard Baekhyun called and stopped walking. 

"Hmm?" He answered, playing nonchalance.

"Your offer still stands, right?" 

Chanyeol couldn't help anymore the growing wide smile from his face. But he didn't let the other see it as he returns to his earlier spot near Baekhyun.

But of course, they aren't Chanyeol and Baekhyun if there isn't even a slight tease.

"Depends." He then answered.

"On what?"

"Say please first." Chanyeol then said while grinning, already know that the other will whin-

"Please."

"O- Oh." Chanyeol was speechless. He didn't expect Baekhyun to immediately agree to his ridiculous condition. He felt awkward so he just turned around and get on his knees. "Then, get on."

Chanyeol felt Baekhyun hesitated at first but then after a few seconds put both of his hands on Chanyeol's shoulders then presses his weight on Chanyeol's back.

Chanyeol walks carefully, not too fast, not too slow. It was a rather peaceful walk, he couldn't quite believe he'll find himself with Baekhyun like this. To be honest, if ever Baekhyun decided to listen to the story he was telling about, he didn't know what he was about to say as he impromptu thought of it just to convince Baekhyun to come and be carried by him. 

After a few minutes, he heard Baekhyun spoke.   
"God, forgive me for I have sinned"

This causes Chanyeol to frown. "Why?"

"Because I let the enemy help me." Baekhyun said dramatically to which Chanyeol snigger.

"Don't be overdramatic."

"Says the guy who hated me all his life for accidentally ruining his sandcastle."

"I was young" Chanyeol countered. 

"And you're a grown-up now. Thank you so much for pointing out that nothing much has changed." Baekhyun said sarcastically but with a hint of humor in his voice.

Chanyeol laughs a little. "Okay, I admit I was childish."

"You still are-"

"Will you shut up for a moment so I can apologize properly"

Although he couldn't see Baekhyun's face, Chanyeol could feel Baekhyun frowning. "What for?"

Chanyeol sigh.

"For being rude, stupid, childish, and for holding a grudge for a long time. I don't even know why I'm like this. There. Happy now?"

Then there was silence except for the gentle waves from the ocean they could hear at a distance.

Baekhyun was actually speechless. He didn't expect any of this from Chanyeol. Because Chanyeol looking for him in the middle of the night is already baffling enough. 

Baekhyun cleared his throat and in a tiny, tiny voice he said, "Okay. You're not bad yourself."

"So why were you outside?" Chanyeol suddenly asked after a few minutes of silence before it gets awkward.

"I was out for a walk." Baekhyun started. "And then I saw that chair so I decided to sit for a while. I didn't even realize that I fell asleep. When I woke up, I tried to go back but then I tripped my foot so... well you know what happened next."

Chanyeol couldn't help but laugh. It's not weird if he'll say he finds it adorable right? They're friends now, right? "Guess not much from you has also changed. Still as clumsy as the first time I saw you."

Baekhyun rolls his eyes but then joined Chanyeol laughs. 

🏰

In their room, Chanyeol put Baekhyun to sit on the bed then retrieved his emergency kit from his luggage and started treating Baekhyun's foot. He filled the ice packet with some ice he got from the kitchen on the way and presses it on Baekhyun's foot for twenty minutes before compressing it with an elastic bandage. 

All while nobody says anything and it was beginning to get awkward, considering they're not used to be like this or being friends. Even to their own ears, the word 'friends' still sounds foreign.

"You take the bed." Chanyeol suddenly spoke, breaking the silence. 

"How about you?" Baekhyun looked confusedly at Chanyeol who is already putting back his emergency kit to his luggage.

"I'll take the couch tonight."

"You don't have to do that, you know. I know for a fact that you won't fit there. We could sleep here together." 

For a moment, nobody spoke as Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol innocently while Chanyeol looked at him unbelieving.

"What? It's not like we haven't slept here together." Baekhyun said awkwardly. 

"Yeah, but with Sehun," Chanyeol said, stating the obvious.

Baekhyun then picked one pillow beside the headboard and placed it horizontally in the middle of the bed. "Pretend this is Sehun then."

Chanyeol contemplated for a minute. He knows from a little experience that it will be uncomfortable for him to sleep on the couch. Not that he'll let Baekhyun know he was trying to sleep awhile ago on it.

"Okay then."

Once Chanyeol lied down on the other side of the bed, Baekhyun spoke. "It's nice to know that we could be like this. I mean, civil. A little bit of mature, I guess."

"I don't know. I kinda miss you feeding me with salty foods." Chanyeol then answered with humor.

"I can still do that if you want me to, you know." 

"No, thanks," Chanyeol answered and they both chuckled. It was a different feeling. And it feels good.

Since then, they always sleep like that.


	6. BAEKHYUN (the Rage)

It safe to say that after that incident, Baekhyun and Chanyeol stopped arguing anymore. And if their friends noticed, they never commented on it. Probably not to jinx it and ruin the peace around them. 

Though after that genuine talk they had that night, they never find themselves again in the same kind of conversation. They get back to co-existing but with less laser beam sending all the way inside the room. They talk sometimes in the room though, asking simple and normal things like 'should I use the bathroom first or you first?', 'Is it okay if I turn off the light?.'

And it kind of warms Baekhyun's heart. He'd never thought of him and Chanyeol could be like this. It felt new and he didn't know when he'll get used to it. 

He never opens it to Kyungsoo though, or any of his friends and he's pretty sure Chanyeol too. It was still rather awkward to tell the others that they now less enemies and more of a friend because Chanyeol maybe had an existential crisis or whatsoever and realized his mistakes and wanted to own up to it. 

Even though they talk in their room, they never tried to bother one another outside, or when they are around their friends. Maybe they're both trying to get used to it. Also, knowing their friends, the moment they shared it with them, both of them will probably get teased nonstop. 

For now, Baekhyun would like to enjoy this moment. He had always hoped to be okay with Chanyeol ever since they were young and all of his friends are the witness of this. 

On the contrary of what everyone knows, even though Baekhyun declared war years ago on Chanyeol, he never stopped hoping that one day they'll still become friends, he only stopped showing it but the dream of having a normal conversation and getting along with each other just like with their friends is what Baekhyun had always hoped for.

Baekhyun is feeling giddy and excited like a teenager who got a small 'hi' from his childhood crush. 

"You've been smiling all day I needed to puke." Baekhyun heard Kyungsoo commented beside him. 

It was another day of Sehun coaxing all of them to play under the sun. Yixing was the most excited one, saying he's got to display yet another pair of swimwear he bought online. 

Baekhyun and Kyungsoo were both cutting fruits on their beach blanket while the others are playing with Sehun in the water. 

"Baekhyun, my friend, I know you have a lot of things in your mind. Your studies, how you always have missing cents on your Financial Statements, your feasibility studies, and your missing in action group mates. And even here, you have to deal with Chanyeol." Baekhyun perks his ear at the mention of Chanyeol while Kyungsoo continued. "My friend, you don't have to take it all by yourself, if you are already losing it, just know that I am here. Okay? I got your back." Kyungsoo finished his monologue dramatically.

Baekhyun huff. "To what? Put a knife on it?" 

"Ouch! I could never!" Kyungsoo puts his hand on his chest and acts offended. 

"You just did!" Baekhyun argues.

"When?"

"You never let me sleep in your room even though, I asked you many times before."

"Well..." and Kyungsoo had the audacity to act sheepishly but Baekhyun only squints his eyes in the direction of his friend. 

"Oho, Is this another lover's quarrel?" 

In the middle of their harmless argument, the two didn't notice Junmyeon get near them to eat some sliced watermelon.

"Nope. We're just having a mother-daughter bonding." Kyungsoo joked to which Junmyeon replied with a laugh but Baekhyun only rolled his eyes at his two crazy friends.

"Mommy Baek!" 

The three of them looked at where Sehun's voice came from. Sehun looks excited and is running towards the three of them with Chanyeol, Jongin, and Yixing in tow.

"I won against them! They ran out of breath in the water first!" Sehun announced his achievement while trying to get into Baekhyun's arm. Baekhyun then immediately held Sehun in his arms in reflex. It always happens that it became normal for him to do. Sehun does the same with Chanyeol. And also, sometimes, he gets to see Jongin and Junmyeon carry Sehun when they are playing around. 

"Really! You did that! I'm so proud of you, Sehun!" Baekhyun said, looking at Sehun happily while giving Sehun some fruits. "Here's watermelon for you. You did a great job!"

"Thank you, Mommy Baek!"

While Sehun munches his food in the arms of Baekhyun, the others have finally arrived and settled themselves on the blanket, looking for some watery fruit to satisfy their thirst. Yixing get one whole pineapple for himself then decided to sit on the beach chair with a satisfying sigh.

"I see that our old lady is tired."

"Nope, you will not ruin my beautiful day, Kyungsoo. Back off." Yixing replied, not even looking at Kyungsoo and only focusing on his pineapple. 

"Daddy Chan! Do you want some watermelon?" Sehun suddenly spoke as he noticed Chanyeol's presence near him. 

"Sure," Chanyeol replied with a smile, actually finding how Sehun eats watermelon adorable. There were some traces of juice on his cheeks and his chin, a watermelon seed was stuck. Chanyeol reaches for Sehun's chin and removed the seed. 

Upon watching the interaction, Baekhyun immediately gets another slice of watermelon from the cutting board and gave it to Chanyeol. "Here." 

Chanyeol then gets it with a smile before going back to where he and Sehun were making dolphin-shaped sand. Sehun follows Chanyeol when he saw where Chanyeol was heading, Baekhyun watch how Chanyeol stopped for a second to let Sehun catch up with him. 

It became the two's habit to create different shapes of animals using the sand whenever they are there to enjoy the water. 

"What's that?" Kyungsoo who saw the whole thing nudges the smiling Baekhyun beside him but Baekhyun was too focused on the two to answer Kyungsoo. 

"What's that?" Jongin got their attention when he suddenly spoke, looking at a far distance and there they spotted a speed boat in the water fast approaching their direction.

"You mean, who's that?" Yixing corrected Jongin. 

When the speed boat halted in motion, they finally saw who was riding it. It was Myunju, that girl from the fest. 

What is she doing there, though?

The five of them in the cottage looked at each other, wondering why Myunju decided to show up there. 

They watch as Chanyeol, the nearest to the shore approached Myunju, probably asking what she was doing there, although they couldn't hear anything of what they were talking about. 

Baekhyun doesn't like how Myunju appears to be so clingy with Chanyeol. 

When they were done, all Chanyeol said to them was that he needs to help Myunju before leading her to the villa. 

🏰

They were all in the living room feeling awkward as they wait for Chanyeol. Myungju was sitting on the couch but it seems like she is purposely ignoring their presence or she just doesn't wanna talk to them. Either way is still irritating and Baekhyun can see from his peripheral vision beside him how Kyungsoo and Yixing are trying not to make faces at the girl but fails. Sehun on his lap, however, is finding Yixing's expression funny. 

Fortunately, Myunju must not have noticed her unwelcomed presence as she was busy finding non-existent dirt on her manicured nails. 

Kyungsoo scoffed. What a snob

"Let's go." They heard Chanyeol descending on the stairs who is now dressed nicely.

"Wait, where are you going?" Baekhyun who couldn't take it anymore finally let his curiosity be voiced. 

"To the city, they need my help on the animal shelter because of my knowledge in medicine.

At Baekhyun's question directed at Chanyeol, their friends couldn't hide their surprise but what's even more surprising is when Chanyeol provided an answer. As if the two were close, as if they were friends. 

"But why you, though. Don't they have enoug-

"Let's go, Chanyeol."

Kyungsoo was gonna ask Chanyeol but before he could even get to the point of his question, Myunju interrupted him and clings her arms on Chanyeol to which Baekhyun's left eyebrow twitches.

"We need to hurry, we're gonna help feed the animals too."

"Don't worry, they won't starve you." Kyungsoo snicker beside Baekhyun and Yixing, who laughed upon hearing Kyungsoo's comment and is definitely liking it. 

"I'm sorry?" Myunju for the very first time since she arrived decided to acknowledge them. 

"Oops, I'm afraid my thoughts accidentally slipped off my mouth. Sorry, not sorry." Kyungsoo said and yawn before he started to walk away from the scene to go to his own room without a care.

"I'll go with you!" Jongin announced, wanting to get out of that situation. 

"I think you need to go now. You don't want to arrive there late, right?" It was Junmyeon, the usual mediator of the group who as much as possible does not want anyone to get involved in trouble, whether it's inside or outside of the group. 

"Bye-bye, Daddy Chan." Sehun in the arms of Baekhyun said in a sad tone, obviously not wanting Chanyeol to leave. 

Upon noticing Sehun's dejected face, Chanyeol approaches them. He stood right in front of Baekhyun while looking thoughtfully at Sehun. "It's okay, Sehun. I'll be back before you know it." Chanyeol smiles at the understanding face of Sehun before he ruffles his hair. "Be good to your Mommy Baek."

Sehun nodded with a pout. "Take care."

Chanyeol then looks at Baekhyun. He never said anything but only smiles as he started walking towards the obviously irritated Myunju. 

🏰

While everyone finds something to occupy their day, Baekhyun decided to stroll again near the shore but this time with Sehun who's spirit is down since Chanyeol left. Baekhyun is holding Sehun's small hand and then tilts his head to look at the kid. "Sehun, Chanyeol said he'll be back, you don't have to worry okay."

Sehun nodded with a sigh. "I miss Daddy Chan."

Baekhyun smiles, reaching for Sehun's hair that has been messy due to the wind. "I'm sure he misses you too."

"Don't you miss Daddy Chan?" Although Sehun asked innocently, Baekhyun was still taken aback. He never thought of anything like that. And Chanyeol is just in the city to help in an animal shelter. It's not like he's going to stay there for years. 

But in order not to disappoint Sehun, he needs to answer with what clearly is in Sehun's favor. So in hesitation, he says, "Of course." And Baekhyun does not regret saying that as he saw a smile forming in Sehun's face that immediately made Baekhyun smile even wider. 

"Then let's wait for Daddy Chan here and give him hugs and kisses when he arrived!" Sehun says excitedly while jumping in joy.

"Ah, yeah. Good idea. Hehe." Baekhyun replies hesitantly, awkwardly looking anywhere but Sehun until he spotted something in the distance. 

The exact spot where they all gathered together awhile ago. But no, it's not the place but rather what's in it that caught his attention.

The dolphin sand art. 

The art Chanyeol and Sehun was making awhile ago. Baekhyun was sure that even the dolphin isn't perfect, it was already finished. But what happened to its stomach area, Baekhyun didn't know but it was damaged as if something heavy distorted it. 

Sehun looked at what Baekhyun was staring at and gasps as he sees the artwork ruined. Sehun then runs to get near it and pouted as he observes it. Baekhyun followed him and give Sehun a comforting smile. "It's okay, Sehun, we can just fix it."

"Hey, Baek! Hello Sehun." The two heard Junmyeon called out. "So you've been here, huh."

"Hello, Uncle." Sehun solemnly greeted which Junmyeon immediately noticed and looked at Baekhyun, mouthing and asking what happened. Baekhyun then pointed at the dolphin sand art to let Junmyeon know why Sehun is sad.

"Oh." 

Baekhyun noticed that Junmyeon wasn't surprised at the sight of the ruined sand art, but rather looking guiltily at Sehun.

"Do you know what happened to it?" Baekhyun asked Junmyeon as they watch Sehun started fixing the middle part of the dolphin.

"When I send Chanyeol and Myunju away awhile ago, Myunju accidentally stepped on the dolphin's stomach."Junmyeon provided. And Baekhyun almost snaps his neck at how fast he looked at Junmyeon. 

"What did Chanyeol say?" Baekhyun asked.

"He said it was okay, he can still make another one." At what Junmyeon said, Baekhyun stopped and stare, specifically at the dolphin. 

Junmyeon said that Chanyeol said it was okay?

But it's not okay.

Chanyeol and Sehun spent their time sculpting a dolphin in the sand and yet it was okay for Chanyeol when it got ruined by Myunju?

How is it okay? Why is it okay? It shouldn't be okay!

🏰

Back in his room, Baekhyun was sitting on the couch looking straight ahead with a deep frown on his face. It shouldn't be of something big but why does he feel this way ever since he found out from Junmyeon what happened to the sand art. 

He doesn't want it but his insecurities are eating him up. How could Chanyeol be okay with that? For years, Baekhyun had to deal with Chanyeol's hatred of him to the point where it affects his mentality, and yet Chanyeol easily forgives that girl within a day for accidentally ruining his sand art. Not to mention, he didn't make it alone. He made it with Sehun. 

Sehun was devastated upon seeing it ruined. Good thing Sehun is now sleeping in his room because he was tired and couldn't wait anymore for Chanyeol to arrive home.

How can Chanyeol do that? Is Baekhyun really that insignificant in his life that he didn't even bother listening to Baekhyun's apology and yet...

"Arrgg!" Baekhyun trashed out on the sofa. 

Baekhyun couldn't take the suffocating atmosphere in their room so he decided to go down where he finds Kyungsoo, Junmyeon, and Yixing watching a movie. 

"Hey Baek, we thought you were sleeping so we didn't ask you to join us. Also, this is a horror movie which you don't like." Kyungsoo said on the couch as he saw Baekhyun descended from the stairs. 

"It's okay." Baekhyun answered but even though Baekhyun heard Kyungsoo clear and loud, he didn't even bother to look in the direction of his friends and just go straight to the kitchen to pour a glass of water for himself.

As he was about to drink from the glass, he heard the big door opened and revealed the very man that occupied his mind for the past couple of hours. In a very unpleasant way, of course.

But even though Chanyeol was already near their friend and already talking to them, Baekhyun didn't falter even one second at drinking his water. He drinks it as he stares at Chanyeol, boring holes in his back. 

Chanyeol must've felt someone is staring at him and in reflex turned around to see Baekhyun in the kitchen area and their eyes met as Baekhyun finished the glass of water and put it down to the counter with a loud thud which caught the attention of his other friends. 

Chanyeol on the other hand smiles upon seeing Baekhyun. Probably expecting Baekhyun to smile back shyly in return but it never happened and it makes Chanyeol frown. 

"Ah, you guys are watching a horror movie. I see now why Baekhyun is in the kitchen far away from you." Chanyeol cracked a joke, playfully, thinking that Baekhyun was just scared of the movie. He thought Baekhyun would laugh at his joke but Baekhyun's eyes remained the same. 

"What's wrong?"

"I'd appreciate you more if you stop talking to me." Baekhyun couldn't help but rudely answers Chanyeol. Not liking the way Chanyeol being playful at the moment.

Maybe they thought Chanyeol and Baekhyun were only having their usual banter that the others just ignore the two so they just focus on the movie playing on the television. 

Chanyeol approaches Baekhyun, sensing that it is not the usual Baekhyun and something is definitely wrong. 

"Baekhyun, what's wrong?"

"You're asking me what's wrong? It's you!" Baekhyun shouts the last two words, alarming the others who are now standing and looking at the two. They, themselves don't know what's going on but they know for a fact that the two had long way passed this kind of fight and just settled for witty comebacks every time one of them tried to annoy the other. 

"What? I don't understand you." Chanyeol asked Baekhyun, confusion visible on his face. 

But it only drives Baekhyun to get more upset.   
"You won't understand because you never tried to understand. You are still the same jerk Park Chanyeol I always knew. I hate you!"

In a spur of emotions, Baekhyun didn't notice a small drop of tear poured from his eyes. 

"What?" Chanyeol managed to ask before Yixing interrupts to get in between them. Maybe worrying if ever the two get physical just like what happened before in his house.

"Hey, hey, what's going on." Yixing asked and then looked at Baekhyun. "Baekhyun, calm down. It's okay."

But Baekhyun only snapped. "It's not okay! It will never be okay!" 

It feels like nobody understands. How he had to deal with his insecurities for many years. How it feels like even in that very moment, his feelings are still being invalidated.

He knows he's making a fuss over a stupid sand art. But can you really call it stupid just like that when all his life his biggest regret was when he accidentally ruined Chanyeol's sandcastle when they were young? 

And now, knowing how Chanyeol easily forgave Myunju for ruining the sand dolphin is like tons of salt being rubbed all at once on Baekhyun's barely healing wounds. 

He feels so down.

Nobody says a word after that. 

Upon realizing his outburst, Baekhyun left the kitchen and run to go outside. He didn't mean to snap like that in front of his friends. He was being too emotional that he couldn't stop himself. 

Chanyeol on the other hand ran after Baekhyun. Leaving the three in the kitchen. Yixing was about to follow Baekhyun and Chanyeol buy Junmyeon stopped him. 

"I feel like they need to talk." Junmyeon said with a sigh when Yixing looked at him. "It's long overdue."

Yixing calms, understanding what Junmyeon was trying to say. But still, he's worried. "They won't kill each other, right?" 

"I think so." Kyungsoo who had been watching the interaction sigh, looking at the door where the two left. He thought the two were making a progress.

🏰

Baekhyun runs with a tear studded face and found himself near the shore, near the ruined dolphin sand that Sehun tried to fix earlier that day when the sun was still up. Now, it was dark. 

"Baekhyun! Hey, wait! Baekhyun wait." Baekhyun heard Chanyeol calling him but chose to ignore it. 

Baekhyun pretends he doesn't hear anything and only continues to walk. He heard Chanyeol sigh behind him as the taller finally caught up with him. He felt Chanyeol grabbed his arms as he tried to make Baekhyun face him. 

"What really is wrong, Baekhyun?" Chanyeol asked, looking into Baekhyun's eyes. 

"Nothing! Let go of me. I don't wanna see you!"

But Chanyeol is having none of it. "Look, I thought were making a progress. I thought were at least friends now. So why are you avoiding me?" 

Baekhyun wants to laugh. "You really wanna know?!" He snatched his arm harshly from Chanyeol's hold then continued, "It's because I hate you! I hate you so much, Park Chanyeol. 

"When we're young there's not a day passed where I forgot to apologize to you. I was young and barely know what I was doing. I did one mistake and every day I had to face your hatred for me because of it! I spent half my life asking for your forgiveness not only in words but in every action I did just to show how sincere I was but I got nothing in return! And yet, that girl, Myunju, you forgave her immediately even though she wasn't even sorry for ruining the dolphin sand.

"Is my feeling a toy to you? Am I really that insignificant in your life that I had to suffer for years?"

Baekhyun's tears are now falling nonstop. He thought for a while in those days that Chanyeol and him got okay, that he already forgot the pain of the past. But he was wrong, it was still as painful as ever, if not, more. Because here he is, looking pathetic as he burst into tears and shouts his frustration. 

For some, if they find out the reason why is Baekhyun acting like this, they'd probably think that he'd lost it. Because who's grown up is going to cry and throw a fit over a ruined dolphin sand art? 

But Baekhyun isn't crazy. He was just hurt and felt belittled. Even he, himself wants to laugh at how pathetic he looks. But what can he do when he is hurting. 

"I'm sorry." Chanyeol said moments later. He tried to hold both Baekhyun's shoulders and looked into his eyes. But Baekhyun only turned his head to the side just to avoid looking at Chanyeol. 

"Sorry, my ass. Just go back to your Myunju."

"I'm sorry, Baek. I'm sincere with my apology. I meant it when I apologized to you before and I meant it even now. And I will apologize to you again and again because you deserve it. I'm sorry from before, I'm sorry for today. I'm sorry for being the way I was and I'm forever sorry for what I did to you.

"I am sorry that I've caused you pain. I admit that I was stupid and I'm sorry you had to deal with my pettiness. 

"And no you are not insignificant. You mean so much more and you have to know it. You are perfect in your own way. And it's not you. You are not the problem because all this time, it was me. I am the most pathetic person you could ever know."

"You are." 

Chanyeol ignored Baekhyun's remark. It was true anyway.

"And you know why I am the most pathetic person?"

Baekhyjn didn't say anything, waiting for Chanyeol to continue, but instead of continuing Chanyeol only walk slowly towards Baekhyun until they were chest to chest that Baekhyun himself admits is too close to be called normal. He only looks at Chanyeol's collar, his eye level. Afraid of what might happen if tries to look up.

Chanyeol chuckled and Baekhyun gave him a look only to find Chanyeol looking lost. 

"W-Why are you laughing? You think it's funny?" Chanyeol only laughs but something in the way he looks at Baekhyun changed and it caught Baekhyun off guard.

Baekhyun was curious but before he could even open up his mouth to ask Chanyeol, Chanyeol's face was already so close to his and is preventing him from breathing properly. Before he could even realize what was happening, he felt a pair of lips touch his own. It was only a peck but enough for Baekhyun to stumble a little backward and wide-eyed looking at Chanyeol.

"W-what was that for." Baekhyun stuttered. He didn't expect that. That's definitely 180 degrees turn of events. 

"Because I am pathetic." Chanyeol answered, looking softly at Baekhyun. 

Baekhyun suddenly felt very awkward. "How does it connect." He asked without even glancing at Chanyeol.

"Because here I am, liking you for a long time and I didn't even have the bone to say it. Instead, I sorted to annoying you just to get your attention. Isn't it pathetic?"

Baekhyun was lost of words as Chanyeol's words are slowly sinking into his brain. Chanyeol actually what? Likes him?

"Y-yeah, you are." Baekhyun just said awkwardly after trying to rummage his brain of what could he possibly say, but found none as his brain was blank. 

Chanyeol chuckles at the flustered face of Baekhyun and finds it adorable. "I like you, Baekhyun."

Baekhyun felt his cheeks heated up at Chanyeol's words and the way he said it. Is this really happening? Chanyeol confessing his feelings for him? 

"How can you... easily say it just like that." Baekhyun avoided Chanyeol's gaze.

"It's not easy for me too. I'm just taking the opportunity. I'm so done wasting opportunities, Baek."

Baekhyun looked at Chanyeol's face and he could definitely see how genuine the other was with the words he said. 

Baekhyun's heart feels like exploding. Is this really the Chanyeol he had always known. The Chanyeol who had always been hard-headed on him. 

Is it only him or is his feet started to walk on their own? And is Chanyeol always been this attractive? With a soft breeze messing around his hair and the moonlight making his face glistens in the dark. Baekhyun, couldn't help it. 

Slowly, Baekhyun held Chanyeol's cheek with his right hand, admiring the other's countenance until slowly but surely the gap between them finally closes.

They kissed again.

🏰

"So, what happened in the city?" Baekhyun asked as they sit side by side on the sand, watching the gentle waves on the water. 

"Hm? Well, I found out I wasn't really needed there. There were enough volunteers and they were much more experienced than me."

"Then why did Myunju even asked you?"

Chanyeol shrug while Baekhyun scoffed which only earns a laugh from Chanyeol. "There's nothing to be jealous for." 

Baekhyun's eyes widen and argue, "I am not jealous!" 

"Are you not?" Chanyeol asked, looking keenly at Baekhyun that was too close for Baekhyun's comfort.

"I am!" 

"Jealous?" 

"No- Ye- What?"

Chanyeol chuckles and moves closer to Baekhyun. 

"I noticed that you are shy."

"After you kissed me?! How the fuck do you still think I'll act normal."

"Still, you never said it."

"Said what?"

"I told you that I like you but I'm still waiting for you to say it back. I'm not saying you need to say it back immediately but considering you kissed me again, means you feel the same right?"

Baekhyun's face was turning red. He swears Chanyeol could be someday the cause of his death. If not annoying, he's also too cheesy. 

"Hahaha it's okay, you don't have to push yourself to say it. I'm willing to wait." Chanyeol laughs awkwardly. 

They both fall on silence but a comforting one. Until Chanyeol spoke again.

"Baekhyun,"

"Hm?"

"About the sandcastle-

"It's okay." Baekhyun didn't let Chanyeol finished. Chanyeol already apologized and he's accepting it. Isn't that what he had always wanted?

"No, I mean, do you wanna build one with me tonight?"

Baekhyun couldn't help but look at Chanyeol in surprise. Building a sandcastle together, he likes the idea. It's like the first step of truly forgetting about the past and starting over. And Chanyeol finally letting him into his life. And he likes it so much.

"Okay." Baekhyun replied with a smile. 

🏰

Back in the villa, they were greeted by an overly excited newly awake Sehun who declares how much he misses Chanyeol even though he was only gone for a few hours.

"Mommy Baek missed you too and wants to give you a hug." Sehun said to Chanyeol. 

"Really?" 

"Yes! He told me earlier he will give you a hug!" Sehun nodded innocently while Chanyeol gave a blushing Baekhyun a look. 

"Well, let see how much your Mommy Baek misses me, Sehun." Chanyeol stood up from crouching, before opening his arm wide, facing Baekhyun. 

"Wh- what are you doing?" Baekhyun stuttered. 

"Waiting for the hug. You missed me, right." Chanyeol said, grinning at Baekhyun. 

Baekhyun wanted to oppose what Chanyeol was saying, that he only said that earlier to lift Sehun's gloomy mood. But he couldn't say it to Chanyeol; not when Sehun was there watching with big eyes. 

Baekhyun sigh.

They've already kissed. What's wrong with a little hug?

That night, they slept without a pillow in between.


	7. JONGIN (the Shore)

After sleeping for the whole afternoon, Jongin finds himself wandering alone outside. He has nothing to do anyway. With both of his hands in his pockets and his face facing the direction against the wind, he finds the peace that he could only have rarely these days. Because of his projects left and right in the school, this is literally a breath of fresh air for him. It's nice to know that before he gets back to the capital, at least he had managed to relax and had a good time with his friends. 

That's why it's sad to even think that their days in the villa are coming to an end already and the next thing he knows, he'll be in the university again. 

He finds out through Minseok when he woke up a while ago that Jongdae will be coming back earlier than expected since he finished all his duties and couldn't wait to get home. Minseok thinks that that is a good chance for them all to meet each other. It's exciting, as well as it's saddening because it only means they need to go soon. 

Jongin sighs, he became really attached to the island because of the comfort it was able to give him. That, and also because he was on the island with his friends and added to that, they met Sehun. That cute little child with a cute little pout every now and then. In his heart, even if he isn't blood-related to Sehun, he will always be his favorite cousin. It doesn't matter if his real cousins get mad at him, they will never change his mind. 

Jongin was in the middle of laughing because of the idea he has in his mind when he heard some shouts at the distance from voices he was very familiar with. So he tried to find where it was coming from. 

And his suspicion wasn't wrong as he found the owners of the voice. He kept his distance from the two and hid behind a palm tree. Baekhyun looks furious as he shouts in front of Chanyeol, though Jongin couldn't understand what they were talking about, he knows certainly that the two aren't talking about how good the weather is. 

Jongin sighs as he scratches his head, turning around the leans on the trunk of the palm tree. 

Should he intervene? They won't try to kill each other anytime soon right? 

It's not like this is the first time that he saw the two fight and shouts on each other's faces. If anything, he was used to having seen it as part of his breakfast, or lunch, or dinner. 

So nothing will happen, right? It will pass just like the old times. But why does it feels like it's different now? The two look so serious.

Also, he knows that even though Chanyeol doesn't say anything, Chanyeol cares about Baekhyun. He has been friends with Chanyeol the longest and he can tell by how Chanyeol behaves when Baekhyun was around that Chanyeol was just plain stupid who couldn't man up and be the first one to initiate a good relation with Baekhyun. He only observes and laughs in silence as he witnessed his friend clowns himself. 

But still, even though he knows that Chanyeol wouldn't try to hurt Baekhyun physically, he was worried. 

"Arg, this is so frustrating. Should I call the others?" Jongin murmurs to himself. He was having a hard time deciding what to do. 

As he thinks hard, he noticed the sudden quietness of his surroundings. Did the two stopped fighting already? He can only hear the waves and the gentle sways of the leaves from the trees around him.

Curiously, Jongin slowly turns around to see what had happened between the two but nothing would ever prepare Jongin from what he was about to witness. 

Jongin's eyes automatically widened and his jaw hangs as his brain couldn't still process the thing he was seeing. There near the shore with the moon and the darkness of the sea as their background, Chanyeol and Baekhyun are kissing each other. Baekhyun's hands were on Chanyeol's cheeks, tilting, while Chanyeol's arms were wrapped around Baekhyun's waist.

"What the hell!" In disbelief, Jongin couldn't help but whisper as he turns around and run in the direction of the villa.

"Oh, shit, shit, shit! What hell is happening?! I thought they were fighting!"

He admits that he would believe it more if what he saw was Kyungsoo and Baekhyun kissing but Chanyeol and Baekhyun? Well, he knows Chanyeol might like Baekhyun, but Baekhyun kissing back? It's just really unbelievable after Baekhyun declared war on Chanyeol before.

When he arrives at the villa, he saw Junmyeon, Yixing, and Kyungsoo sitting on the couch so he called them immediately, "Guys! You won't believe it!" He said as he steadies his breathing. "I saw Baekhyun and Chanyeol."

Kyungsoo's attention is already on him. "How are they? Are they still fighting?"

"They aren't fighting anymore but-"

"Oh! It's good to know. I can finally breathe." Yixing didn't let Jongin finished what he was about to say. 

"Yeah, they are- wait! Are you guys watching a movie without me?" Jongin was about to say something more but his eyes caught the paused movie on the big screen.

"You weren't in your room when I called you." Junmyeon answered. 

Jongin sits along with the three on the couch and urges them to resume the movie to which Junmyeon immediately complies. "Come on, this is my favorite movie."

"Jongin?" Junmyeon called.

“Hm?” Jongin answered with his mouth already full of popcorn.

"What was it about Chanyeol and Baekhyun?"

Jongin swallowed the content of his mouth before answering in nonchalance. "Ah, I saw them kissing."

And then there was silence. The three look at Jongin as if he has grown another head. On the other hand, Jongin’s eyes grew big as if he just remembered what he said. 

“What?!” The three said in unison. 

“What?! Yeah, what too! I saw them fighting and then next they were kissing. Is this the end of the world?” Jongin unbelievingly said. 

The other three couldn’t believe it but they know for a fact that Jongin can be trusted by his words. Cause if they have to choose someone among whom they can trust with words, it’s always Jongin.

The movie was already forgotten. They wait for the two to come, but it’s already past midnight and they were still outside. So the four retreated to their own rooms to finally call it a day. 

🏰

The next day, Jongin woke up late in the afternoon. When he gets down, he found his friends in the living area in awkward silence. Chanyeol and Baekhyun are sitting in front of Junmyeon, Yixing, and Kyungsoo. 

This is exciting. Jongin thought.

“Here you guys gathering again without me.” Jongin said, purposely loud to get his friends’ attention. When he did though, all of his friends looked at him while he finds himself a seat beside Kyungsoo. 

Kyungsoo then clears his throat. "When are you going to tell us?"

Baekhyun flinched as if he didn’t expect to be addressed at the moment. “O- oh. Oh yeah, Chanyeol and I, we made up. I’m sorry for last night.” Baekhyun said while gripping his shirt awkwardly. He couldn’t look straight at his friends.

Kyungsoo scoffed. “Made up, my ass. You mean to say made out.”

Baekhyun’s eyes visibly widened as if his friend uttered some scandalous thing. Which is, to be honest, is true. Chanyeol didn’t say anything, only looking at his friends with only his eyeballs moving from his friends to Baekhyun.  
Baekhyun was about to deny the accusation when Kyungsoo beat him onto it. 

“Jongin saw the two of you eating each other’s face last night. What’s with the outburst if you are going to kiss in the end. I didn’t raise you to be this weak, Baekhyun.” Kyungsoo provided, squinting his eyes at Baekhyun.

“You didn’t!”

While Baekhyun and Kyungsoo argue, as usual, Chanyeol gives Jongin a look, the reason why they were in this situation. Jongin just gave Chanyeol a mischievous smile and a peace sign, hiding his body behind Kyungsoo.

“And you, Chanyeol,” Chanyeol immediately straightened his body. “I don’t appreciate you not talking. Give me a valid reason not to take Baekhyun away from you.”

Baekhyun put his fingers on his temple, he really couldn’t keep up with his friend’s antics. 

“I told Baekhyun that I like him.”

“It’s not like we all didn’t know that you like each other. We knew you two are endgame. Just two stupid beings but yeah, endgame.” Kyungsoo said with a scoff before continuing. “Okay, you got my blessing.”

Chanyeol sighs in relief. Although they really don’t need the other’s approval for his and Baekhyun’s relationship, still he felt nervous as he anticipates his friends answer as though, Kyungsoo really was Baekhyun’s parent which really ironic since Kyungsoo was supposed to be their daughter. Chanyeol couldn’t help but laugh at his thought.

“Why are you laughing? You only got Kyungsoo’s blessing. Four more.” Yixing said, finally talking after the information sinks into his brain. 

“Four?” Baekhyun asked.

“Yeah, Sehun is part of our family so he needs to have a say in this.” Yixing said while pointing at Chanyeol and Baekhyun.

Kyungsoo gave Yixing a look beside him. “Yixing, Sehun will surely approve of their relationship, if it’s not obvious enough.” 

“Tss, okay then three.”

“Um,” Baekhyun thinks carefully. “Ah! You won’t see us fight anymore?” Baekhyun said while having Chanyeol nods beside him.

Junmyeon raises his hand. “Okay, you got my blessing. If it only means no more fighting. Just please no PDA in front of me.”

“I’m okay with it!” It’s Jongin’s time to raise his hand. “You can kiss in front of me anytime you want. It’s quite a sight, you see.” Jongin smiles like a maniac as he looks at the others as if convincing them which earns him a flying pillow from Chanyeol. “Ow! I was just kidding. But yeah, I approve!” Jongin laughs as he gives the two a thumbs up. Chanyeol replied with a thumbs up on his own. 

After that, they all look at Yixing, the last approval they need. Again, they don’t really need their approval. They are just a bunch of dorks.

“Hmm, my blessing is the hardest to get. You need to-“

“I’ll give up the window seats.” Chanyeol said.

“Okay! You can now marry each other.” Yixing immediately answered which earned him a look from Kyungsoo and Junmyeon but Yixing only shrugs at them.

“Woah! Does that mean, we have our very first couple in the group?!” Jongin excitedly said.

“Yup, the very first and the very last.” Said, Kyungsoo while Jongin pouts at him.

Suddenly, their bickering was interrupted by the sudden opening of the big door. In curiosity, they all look at the door to see.

“I’m back!” An unfamiliar voice echoes in the whole living area and together with it is an unfamiliar face of a man. Well, at least to Jongin and the others. 

“Jongdae, my friend!” Yixing jumps in joy as he recognized the newly comer and runs to give him a hug. 

The group whose voice dominated the whole area awhile ago suddenly fall into silence. They all stood up from where they were seated to welcome the real owner of the villa. 

In a distance, they heard a loud but small footsteps coming from the stairs, and it gets louder as it’s owner gets near them until Sehun appears.

“Jongdae!” Sehun shouts as he runs fast towards Jongdae. 

“Sehun!” Jongdae crouched down to meet Sehun’s as the kid jumps in his arms. Smiling to see Sehun seems happy while he was gone. 

“I’m good! I miss you, Jongdae.” Sehun pouts. “But not much because I have them. Heheh.” Sehun smiles mischievously at Jongdae.

“Oh, really? Can you introduce your new friends to me?”

Sehun shooks his head no. “They are our new family. I adopted them.”

“Oh. You adopt them?” Jongdae looked at the group and to Minseok who’s just appeared with luggage on his hands.

“Forgive me. I didn’t mention it because I think the young master would gladly fill you up about them.” Minseok informs Jongdae with a bow.

Jongdae nods in understanding. “Oh, then Sehun. Introduce me to our new family.”

Sehun eagerly nods his head then pointed at the first person he sees. “That is Uncle Junmyeon.” 

Junmyeon scratches his head as he looks at Jongdae. “Hello, Jongdae. It’s nice to meet you.”

“Oh, hello. Thank you for being a good uncle to little Sehun.” Jongdae said with a laugh, already enjoying the set up.

“This is my favorite sister,” Sehun points at Kyungsoo. “and my favorite cousin.” And then points at Jongin.

“As long as I’m your favorite.” Kyungsoo said with a smile and looks at Jongdae. “Hello. I’m Kyungsoo and here beside me is Jongin.”

“Hello!” Jongin said with a bow.

As Sehun saw the next two people after Jongin, Sehun shyly hides his face on Jongdae’s nape. “They are Mommy Baek and Daddy Chan.” They all heard Sehun mumbles before he faces them again. Chanyeol and Baekhyun shyly bow their heads. 

“Why are you shy, Sehun? It’s too late for that now. Hahaha” Yixing teases Sehun beside Jongdae which causes Sehun to whine.

“Oh, come on now, Yixing. How about you though. What are you?” Jongdae asked as he laughs at the exchange. It seems that Sehun gets along really well with his friends’ friends. 

After Jongdae asked Yixing, he noticed how his friend suddenly shut up. The others though are trying so hard not to burst out laughing. 

“He is Grandma Yixing!” Sehun says enthusiastically. 

Yixing’s face turned red as Jongdae laughed out loud after Sehun revealed his role. 

It's safe to say that the rest of the afternoon, Jongdae teases Yixing nonstop. 

🏰

As much as Jongdae wants them to stay in the villa and as much as they themselves want to stay, they just couldn’t. They still have an obligation in the capital and the university. And their parents might get mad for their absence during summer.

They come to know Jongdae properly for the last few days of their stay in the villa. They found out about Jongdae’s bright personality and the reason why Yixing and him became friends. They didn’t think that they would have an additional friend after their stay in the villa. 

Minseok too is counted, albeit his mannerism, they got close to him too. That’s why it’s hard for them to say goodbye. Not just to the villa itself, but because of its occupants too. 

Sehun on the other hand, cried as he learned that his new family will have to leave soon. He has grown so attached to them that it became hard to let go. 

They promised Sehun that they will come again next summer to spend their time with him. Although Sehun whined once again, he finally gave in and understand in the end. 

“You’ll visit me again even if it's not summer?” Sehun asked, arms wrapped around Baekhyun.

“Of course! Just promise that you will visit us too.” 

“Jongdae and I will visit you with Minseok. We will be complete again as a family.” 

“It’s time to go,” Junmyeon announced and it makes Sehun pout even more and hugs Baekhyun tightly. 

“Sehun,” Jongdae called. “I promise that we will visit them as soon as possible so don’t be sad, okay? Cheer them up so they will have energy when they get back to school.” 

Sehun nods in understanding. “Let’s meet again okay? Good luck with your studies. I will miss you all.” 

“Of course. I will miss you a lot, my favorite cousin. When we meet again, we’ll play a lot. How about it?” Jongin said as he taps Sehun’s head.

“We will miss you too,” Kyungsoo said as he tries to hide to the others the small tears forming in his eyes.

“It’s really time to go. The plane will take off soon.” Junmyeon once again announced with a sad voice. “Sehun, we will meet again, okay? We are family now.”

Sehun nods. “Bye-bye. Take care.”

“Should we take a family picture before you guys, leave?” Jongdae suggested, holding his phone with his hand, he asked someone from the crowd to take a picture for them.

“Okay, ready?” Jongin asked.

“Yeah!!”

“Okay 1, 2, 3!”

“One big happy family!” Sehun shouts at the top of his lungs causing the others to laugh at which exactly the picture was captured.

Where is the lie though? True to Sehun’s words, they are one big happy family. A family that was created in a most unexpected way but very much welcomed and brought them happiness in times where life was taking its toll on them. 

What a breath of fresh air.


End file.
